Hjumən

When creating hjumən I wanted to represent something that I had a strong personal connection to and gave insight to who I am. As a person who identifies as non-binary, I wanted to recognize the basic anatomy of being a human. How me are made? What makes us alike? How are we all different?

 

Using an oil based clay I crafted a femur, which became the basis of my plaster press mold. Bisque clay was then used to press multiple copies and pieces of the design, then manipulated to create different shapes and forms. Once fired the pieces were coated in a thin layer of neutral Minwax finishing wax, and washed in various shades of neutral paints for finish. I was inspired by fossils, the was these artifacts validate and the way things are supposed to be. Thinking of my own identity and the way I am supposed to be had been a struggle. From a young age I knew that something was different, coming from a religious household and more conservative family gender and sexuality weren’t commonly discussed. I constantly fight a silent battle with stereotypes and misogyny. As I grow I learn more everyday to discover who I’m meant to be, but at the end of the day I’m only human. That’s what I wanted my piece to show and represent. By depicting the bones in a variety dysmorphic I wanted to show the growth and evolution of myself as well as many others who relate.

 

We all all human. The femur is one of the strongest most supportive bones in the body that we all have. It can break and bend, but it will also heal. Just like the femur I too am strong and I’m resilient.