David Altmejd’s The Vessel

[This post is by writer Shaya Ishaq, to submit posts to Art & Science Journal email LeeJones@artandsciencejournal.com]

The Vessel is a 20 foot-long plexiglass diorama containing disembodied hands and noses. The works staggering transparency and size makes it impossible to take in at a single glance - or many. The Vessel changes with every blink; it breathes, shimmers and contains elements about life and death. Seen from the front, composition appears nearly symmetrical but upon closer inspection, each side has been crafted individually. A closer look reveals as much chaos as it does order which implies that these opposing states generate each other. The elaborate composition of plastered body parts position themselves into a fleet of swans. Encircling these forms is an abundance of threads meticulously strung. Altmejd’s recent work is a physical manifestation of growth, and transformation that is only possible from decay.

Interested in seeing the work in real life? Click here for more information on visiting the National Art Gallery of Canada.