Emmett Hartlove

        Selected Work

        About
 
        Statement

        Conact
 

   My work, while recently evolving, has been based around creating objects for the environment I find myself in. They take the form of curatorial, object-based compositions, manipulated textiles, repurposing others’ belongings, mapping, and focusing on insignificant belongings from myself and others for the purpose of elevating them to importance.

    Prioritizing found objects and opinions, I will mix the objects I create, often utilizing unexpected and unconventional materials for their capacity to hold other kinds of meanings. Heirloom wigs, tax and ownership documents, and hand me downs. I appreciate the impermanence of my work and the allowable space for pieces to continue to grow.

    The canvas from book covers to create functioning lipstick tubes, mirrors, nail files, and accessories show the love I feel for nana. Raccoon teeth, bones, and hair come together to create a memorial to someone who does not yet exist, but that I would like to get to know.

    I often place emphasis on tradition in the context of western visual creation and portraiture. Sublime interaction between charged locale and material is something held close to my chest. My continued fetishisation of the flag informs me of many possible attributes that I do not know how to or particularly want to talk about yet. 

    When making my work, I consider the natural form of the objects I work with in order to find connections and likenesses between them. This creation allows for a practice informed not from a pre-formed plan, but rather from the qualities of the materials and objects I use. It’s a collaboration with myself, the objects, and their stories.