ARTISTS STATEMENT
My work is visceral in the choice and handling of material. Through the physical act of manipulating clay, I find myself able to directly express the complexities of life as well as challenging the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths and consider their own experiences. Motherhood, in particular, has been a driving force behind my work. The complexities of raising children in a world filled with violence and uncertainty have fueled my productivity and pushed me to delve deep into personal experiences. Through my art, I hope to shed light on the common yet often unseen struggles of motherhood. Moreover, to spark important conversations about the intersection of motherhood and violence. This is Mother’s Abacus; a physical manifestation of mothering through domestic violence. Each bead on Mother’s Abacus counts and accounts for the deep worry, endless tasks, sleepless sorrow, suffering, and hope mother feels – threaded onto an endless metal cord. Mother’s Abacus makes visible a struggle that is invisible to some but known by many.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ingrid Butterer is an artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Her practice is focused on motherhood represented through clay, fiber sculpture, earth art and photo/video/performance. Ingrid earned her BFA from the University of Michigan and her ED.M from Columbia University, Teachers College where she is a frequent lecturer. Her work has been published in Orenda Arts Journal, Quarentine Magazine and Womxn Artist Project. Ingrid’s work has shown at Lincoln Center, Atlantic Gallery, A.I.R. Gallery, Yamashita Gallery and Kyoto Shibori Museum in Japan, among others. She has been a featured speaker at The Women of Kansai Association (Japan), SLA Gallery, Gallery at St. Francis College, Brooklyn College and Yardmeter Editions in New York City. Ingrid’s recent endeavors include curating CONSTELLATION: SLA Art Space’s Women’s Invitational in New York City. Her work can be found in private collections throughout the U.S. and Japan.
© Ingrid Butterer