Nari Ward
In Harlem, New York, Jamaican born artist Nari Ward forms a personal connection to the discarded. fluoro spoke to Ward about his work.
Born in Jamaica, Ward moved to the United States as a young boy. Early in his career he focused on illustration and figurative painting, before a summer at Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture convinced him that sculpture was his calling. Ward has been based in Harlem since the year 2000.
The concept of working with discarded materials came naturally to Ward, as he “always felt that instead of starting with the blank canvas or page it would be simultaneously more problematic and meaningful to use materials or elements, which already have a history”. The use of discarded objects bring more to Ward’s work than their aesthetic qualities as to him they “hold a sense of hopefulness as well as vulnerability, which appeals to my way of seeing the world”.
Ward’s sculptures focus on an array of issues, from citizenship and consumption to discrimination, race and poverty. By displaying objects in a way that is unusual or unfamiliar Ward facilitates an internal dialogue with the viewer.
(f) Does you Jamaican heritage have an influence on your art?
(NW) I think that early childhood experiences inform the choices one makes in creative endeavours. As a child and even now what I see in Jamaica, a so-called third world country, is a large amount of improvisation and inventing as it pertains to making do with what you have available.
I had a great deal of respect for the individuals who I witnessed making more from less. As a maker of objects that I hope reflect upon the resilience of the human spirit, I have always felt a connection to the person who is marginalised. Whether they are making a living by collecting bottles and cans or selling products from their handmade carts. It is not my intention to romanticise this way of life or the obvious challenges it may represent, but there is something very important that is honoured.
(f) Tell us more about how you form a personal connection to the discarded?
(NW) I am drawn to the things that no longer function or are neglected. Sometimes I have been categorised as a ‘green’ artist. I understand the reason why my work maybe considered as part of that approach, however my primary interest towards recycling is to transform the object into an open-ended narrative with meaningful possibilities for the viewer.
I deal with quite a variety of materials; some of which are found, store bought and even recycled from previous projects. The main concern I have is not just the material and its formal qualities but how that material can be tied to questions or specific experiences. For me examining the will to survive and advance under adverse conditions are an essential part of being an artist.
(f) When dealing with political issues within your work, what measures do you take to be a “cultural diplomat” and facilitate conversation amongst viewers?
(NW) I often try to obscure what is familiar or overlooked in order to slow the viewer down and allow for surprising interactions. My intention is to let the questions, anxiety and/or frustrations find a form and a voice without limiting the work in its range of possible interpretations.
(f) How does pieces such as Medicine Bats (2011) relate to the above?
(NW) Baseball has been referred to as the American ‘national pastime’ or ‘national game’. It is a sport constantly grappling with its history and legacy from the earlier restriction of African Americans to its more recent attempts to address the use of steroids. Outside of the diamond the baseball bat serves as a symbol of aggression or protection. A glass cabinet displays seven brown glass bats (one for each day of the week). Each bat replicates the quality of early medicine bottles and serves as receptacles for white sterilised cotton. In the work cotton is utilised to reference medicine as a means to heal as well as possibly enhance performance. This work is consistent with my approach of bringing unexpected meanings to the familiar.
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Ward will focus on public projects in 2014 as he currently works on a project for the Old South Baton Rouge community in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Late 2014, he will also be producing a public piece for the Sugar Hill community in his Harlem, New York neighbourhood.
Ward’s works are currently on display at the LSU Museum of Art, Louisiana until Sunday 10 August 2014. The solo exhibition ‘Rooted Communities: The Art of Nari Ward’ coincides with his residency at LSU, and highlights a series of Ward’s recent sculptures, works on paper, and mixed media installations. Ward will hold a lecture on his work on Monday 24 March at 5pm (CDT) at the LSU Design Building.
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