Installation by Heather A. Hubbard
November 7th–24th, 2024
Corridor 2122
2122 Mono St
Fresno, CA 93721
Artist’s Statement
My art making practice reflects a desire to understand. It is a process of inquiry, a search for the invisible yet nearly perceivable thread that connects all things. Some answers are revealed in the practice, while new questions emerge. Art making is an organic, living process that creates space for both artist and viewer to become more comfortable with the unknowable.
Several years ago, I encountered a letter written by Emily Dickinson to her friend Elizabeth Holland. Sharing her struggle to adjust to a new home, Dickinson says, “I am out with lanterns looking for myself.” This quote resonates deeply with me. I, too, often feel as though I am out with lanterns looking for myself, for elements not easily revealed. We each, like Whitman, “contain multitudes,” but sometimes, without our even noticing, parts of ourselves can wander. With these echoes in mind, I created Self-Reflections as an act of reclamation. This exhibition consists of three installations: “Riparian Blue,” “The Feral Child (Self Portrait),” and “The Disappeared (Self Portrait),” each an attempt at rescuing a facet of myself. I hope this space resonates with others who are also out, lanterns held high, looking for themselves.
Riparian Blue
2024
Cyanotype print on silk, Equisetum Stems
3’ x 6’
Riparian zones are systems for recycling, renewal, and rebirth. The necessary work of this biome reaches far beyond the water’s edge and is felt across all other ecosystems. I see this biome as a metaphor for my own art making process.
The Feral Child (Self Portrait)
2024
Cyanotype print on fabric, manzanita branches, mirror, deer antlers, botanical lantern, reclaimed table, two blue suitcases, and collection of keepsakes.
8’ x 8’x 4’
This installation is an attempt to capture the essence of the feral child I once knew myself to be: the self who understood that magic is real, that trees are for climbing, and that levitation is possible; the self who studied the signatures of objects and listened patiently to their memories.
The Disappeared (Self-Portrait)
2024
Cyanotype print on fabric, jute rug, paper lantern, antique chair, and bouquet of dried flowers.
8’ x 8’x 8’
This installation is an attempt to capture the echo of my erased self, the parts of myself that I have allowed to fade in order to assimilate into a society that values conformity. It is also an attempt to answer the question: if I was complicit in my own erasure, is it still possible to reclaim what I have lost?
