Louisa Bristol

While working as a baker, I collected the egg cartons in bulk to explore sculpting after a several year hiatus. The dizzying amount of eggs we would go through inspired this playful series, while underlining my personal tensions towards my disconnection with the arts. Formed with papier-mâché and found materials, I morphed environments and objects into surrealist “fried egg” forms.

Artist Statement:

Like the natural environment, the human psyche is subject to change. As the world around us adapts and shifts, we too undergo unseen transformations. Just as each ecosystem contributes to a biome, each obstacle in the human lifespan shapes an individual. By transcending our anthropocentric mentality, the intersection of the human experience and the natural world becomes apparent.

In the aftermath of my own trauma, I found comfort in studying the wonders of nature. Finding parallels between natural systems and my emotional healing, I decided to take on the task of documenting my healing through systems found in nature. Each piece portrays a step within the emotional healing process: avoidance, self-confrontation, welcoming emotion, clarity & action, and a change in perspective. As each piece physically represents a step, its natural surroundings provide the evidence that nature holds the wisdom we long for, often hidden in plain sight.

Impractically Possible was my first solo show, and it was all about pushing the boundaries of everyday objects. I created a series of items whose intended function was completely negated by the materials I used, turning something familiar into something absurd. It was a playful exploration of how objects are defined by their materials and the expectations we have of them. Through humor and contrast, I wanted to challenge the way we perceive things and make people think about the role of materials in shaping our understanding of the world around us.