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Some
autopsy services have a sign reading "This is a place where
death rejoices to teach those who live". I believe this holds
true in the case of the subject dissected for this Artist's Dialogue.
Autopsy revealed a multitude of explanations for the cause of Amy
E. Fraser's art.
Like the 'subject', the dialogue also took the form of a living
organism. Similar to a living body, the body part chapters worked
together to create one integrated whole. Concepts overlapped and
intertwined like the processes of human systems. Each organ's cultural
metaphor led to individual areas of study and personal perspectives
that define my works. Each chapter is significant within itself,
yet more complete as part of the whole dialogue.
The dialogue has taught the reader that art is a multifaceted process
that includes many areas of study. My art has improved greatly over
the years and the improvements can be attributed, in part, to the
time I have devoted to analytic thought and research. The images
and concepts in my work go beyond simple explanation. Each piece
contains a wealth of information about culture, feminism, history,
philosophy, spiritual beliefs and more, interpreted and created
from the perspective of a female artist in the 21st century.
At this point, the artist's dialogue is merely in it's infant stages.
With more time, painting and proper mental nourishment, this body
will grow to enormous depths and proportions. It is a progression
that will last the rest of my lifetime. I will continue to inform
my works in this way, seeking further meaning and interpretation
for each new creation.
I have come to a deeper realization about the importance the body
has on perception, way of life and understanding. There is great
responsibility for representing such an important concept. I will
never allow myself to take the portrayal of this subject for granted.
It is my duty as a woman and artist to represent women in a positive
light in an attempt to battle preconceived notions that have hundreds
of years of culture and tradition behind them.
By defining the female subject in my works through this dialogue,
I am redefining woman within Western society. It is my hope that
this type of discussion may eventually become as commonplace to
Western culture as quotes from the Bible or theories from Freud.
Each time a new woman is born to grace my canvas, I will pay tribute
to this woman who stepped out of her painted world and sacrificed
her body so that others could better understand her kind.
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