HELEN WARNER

Artist's Statement About Her Series of Sculptures 'Feelings'

These sculptures that I have created are based on very deep and personal feelings. I felt the need to express my feelings using my own objects/possessions or objects that were given to me by people close to me and then fixing them together.

While creating these sculptures it was important to me to hold the objects and really get into the work to feel my way and let the feelings come through as well as be in deep thought. Feeling the works physically and emotionally while creating them and even now after their creation there were and are strong feelings there for me.

It was important to me to use my own personal objects/possessions as much as possible. Although I often wondered what to do if I had no possessions left to use so I decided that whatever new objects/possessions I come across, get given or purchase in life they would become personal objects once they have been around me or people close to me for at least a while so I was happy with that.

Even how I fixed most of the objects together was interesting in itself in that I had to wear gloves to fix them together with glue. So it was very meticulous and thus I wasn't totally touching the objects or the sculptures at times.

I do believe Art should speak for itself but I will say a few words about each of the sculptures that I have done so far:

"Feelings" was the first Sculpture that I created. The red velvet jacket, black gloves and black shoes were all items that I use to wear. I really enjoyed fixing them together to create and express my deep feelings. Although I do miss wearing the red jacket and the black gloves. I particularly enjoyed fixing the red jacket. I also liked fixing the gloves to the glass like ball and fixing the black shoes onto the red jacket. The red jacket, gloves and shoes and of course the mannequin head make the sculpture come alive. Inside a glass like ball there is also a drinking glass with a candle inside it and a chain is fixed around them.

Feelings 1 has a lot of emotion. The purse was my purse and necklace was my necklace, the candlestick was given to me and the watch was given to me. The two mannequin heads and the objects make the Sculpture come alive. The position of the mannequin heads and the zip with key on the lips of one of the mannequin's all add to the feelings in the sculpture.

"My World has been locked down before the whole world locked down".

In Feelings 2 there are many objects symbolising my feelings. I felt the need to paint the world red and to have the candle and candlestick and the drinking glass that are on top of the bigger mirror joined together. I felt the need to have rope and chain and to fix the rope and chain around the world and to have a padlock on the world and also have the chain attached to another padlock inside the drinking glass.

I also fixed belts, masks, other candles, other drinking glasses, keys, padlocks, two clocks without hands, two mirrors, a glove and other objects to Feelings 2. There is a smaller mirror lower down in the sculpture which is also reflecting some objects and also my signature. I also choose to paint around my hands or fingers all over Feelings 2. I even painted around my fingers onto the bigger mirror towards the top of the sculpture. I love the way that the mannequin head with the world on its head and all the other objects reflect back at each other because they are on top of the mirror.

I felt the need to express my feelings using my own objects/possessions or objects that were given to me by people close to me and then fixing them together. It was important to me to use my own personal objects/possessions as much as possible. Although I often wondered what to do if I had no possessions left to use so I decided that whatever new objects/possessions I come across, get given or purchase in life they would become personal objects once they have been around me or people close to me for at least a while so I was happy with that.

My world has been locked down for quite a few years but I am not the only one whose World has been locked down before the whole world locked down. There are people whose worlds have been locked down for more years than mine.

Helen Warner

Sculpture "Feelings 2" has been selected for the London Art Biennale 2023 (visit please https://www.londonbiennale.co.uk/2023/final-selection-for-the-london-art-biennale-2023/).

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