ARTIST STATEMENT
My initial encounters with the mature vagina were enshrouded in the mystique of a secret body part, a biological enigma that I observed within my family – veiled in hair, sporadically bleeding, a great cause for grief, pain and a harbinger of an impending transformation. It was akin to a grenade waiting to be detonated, a foreign yet organic process growing within my body, waiting to be understood. The language surrounding it within my family was coded, our own semantic construct – ‘poogi,’ a term whose origin eludes me. Was it a childhood invention embraced by my family, or did it cascade down through generations of ‘poogi’ possessors? Another layer of mystery enveloping the ‘poogi.’
“Poogi” seeks to actualize what comprehending a vagina and the process of puberty looks and feels like for a child with limited, negative, or confusing information. It captures the fear of pain and growth as well as the bewildered excitement accompanying what could only be a fantastical transformation of anatomy still in development. Through the lens of young and imaginative eyes, this piece delves into the emotional mindscape of possibilities surrounding the vagina, offering a visceral exploration of the anticipation and trepidation associated with its enigmatic nature.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Anna Lipscomb is a multimedia sculptor originally from Oklahoma and now based in Chicago, Illinois. She received her BFA in Fine Arts specializing in Contemporary Sculpture from The University of Oklahoma in 2016 and her MFA from Columbia College Chicago in 2022. Lipscomb’s work examines fragmented and transitory nature to perceivably feminine anatomy with an emphasis on anonymity as a means for control and freedom. She has shown her work in several group and solo exhibitions nationwide. She has been the recipient of the Doc Tate Nevaquaya Award, selected by Norman Arts Council & Norman Public Art Board for the Public Art Proposal of Lion’s Park as well as a artist in residence at The Chautauqua Institution.
© Anna Lipscomb