Alana Givens

This body of work explores the ideas of anxiety and vulnerability by exploring the relationship between my hands and how using non-traditional materials and the tension that comes from using those materials in ways that they were not originally intended. I make work that alludes to the complexity of our bodies, specifically relating to the body’s interior functionalities and mimicking the material qualities of blood, gastrointestinal fluids, mucus and bile, skin, and organs, even the microscopic architectures of cells. 

 

The grotesque and abject are qualities to my work that inform my use of materials.  I create palettes and textures that relate to qualities of the body and trauma, and through the intentional act of using gravity as an element and the weight of the objects, reference the physical aspects of the body's tendency to move, stand, sit, crawl, kneel, and droop.  Some of these forms are able to unravel their environment into a space made for them. Although, placing them in the public allows for more thought to how they may function, with or without human interaction. What does it mean simply to be the bodies that they are? How do they function when placed within an environment, where it is public or gallery oriented, and how does the photographic process of these forms, evoking a narrative within the space change the context altogether

 

Disregarding the idea of hiding behind precious craftsmanship, I prefer working intuitively and directly and let the materials settle in their natural and raw state. This in itself is an act of vulnerability and becomes a very personal statement. By doing this, I invite the viewer to experience work that is sometimes uncomfortable to view but offers deeper opportunities for engagement.

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