Emily Bennett

String Games
steel and woven fiber
36 x 36 x 36.5 in.

My work strives to create catharsis through the construction of shared experiences rooted in both identity and place. I do this by creating engaging sculptural works that viewers can interact with both mentally and physically. Whether the viewer interacts passively through sight, or actively through touch, each will glean some meaning from their unique experience with the work. My visual research takes the form of houses, nests, or swings and references play, rest and prayer. My non-representational work simply references play and expressions of joy by using color and scale to convey feelings of childlike abandonment and fun. All of these works become safe spaces for people to engage and form connections with those around them and within themselves. I intend to create enjoyable experiences for viewers with the purpose of gaining an opportunity for introducing deeper contemplation on ideas like how identity forms over time, and through what means. More specifically, my work encourages viewers into contemplating childhood, innocence, home and how our origin can deeply influence our identity.

© Emily Bennett