Rachel Denny is a Portland-based artist exploring the beauty of the natural world and humanity’s impact upon its flora and fauna. Best known for her “Domestic Trophies” work—deer mounts covered in cozy cashmere cable knit woolens—she has shown in galleries nationwide for over 15 years and her sculpture is in many private collections worldwide. Brandon Kosters with Eastern Accents had the pleasure of interviewing Rachel to discuss her making process, her inspirations, and her advice to emerging artists.
Your artwork encompasses mixed media—cashmere, recycled leather, clay, wood.... How do you select materials for a given piece of art?
I often select materials for the piece to add meaning like the recycled leather on a bull bust or felted recycled woolen sweaters for a sheep. I also have a “palette” of materials in the studio for my work and the form can be accentuated by color and pattern like the draped glass beaded heads that somewhat abstract the animal form. It entirely depends on the piece that I am making but I do like recycling materials as much as possible and some materials lend themselves to certain pieces.
With "Domestic Trophies," you seem to be subverting normative conceptions of gender. You're making hunting trophies out of soft, vibrant materials. Can you speak to the notion of "Masculine Vs. Feminine," and what that means for you in the context of your art?
I grew up in rural areas of Montana and Idaho and often saw taxidermied animals in peoples homes.The men went out camping and drinking and then came home with a trophy and sometimes dinner. The women I knew stayed at home being the architects of family life and kept the engine of the home running smoothly. I think the knit trophy works can be interpreted in a few different ways and appreciate the viewer finding their meaning from the work.
When I see your work, I think of so many artists whose work has inspired me over the years, like Richard Kelly, and his work using soft materials. I think of Deborah Butterfield's horse sculptures, because of the marriage of material and subject. Karri Upson's fiber pieces come to mind. There's an element of dry humour which reminds me of Janine Antoni. Who, would you say, are the artists who have made the most significant impact on your work? Who do you draw inspiration from?
There are so many artists whose work I admire. I love the drawings of Walton Ford, he is a big personality but I love his rigorous practice and understanding of the natural world and our place in it. I do appreciate a bit of absurdity and humor in my own work and think art can be both humorous and have depth, Ryan Ganders animatronic mice sculpture comes to mind. My early influences were mixed media sculptors like Louise Bourgeois whose fiber pieces are somewhat grotesque yet still very beautiful, Kiki Smith whose feral work holds real power, and Lenore Tawney whose practice widened my mind to what art could be when I stumbled upon a book about her.
One of the qualities that makes your work especially compelling today is that it's tactical, and shows evidence of physical labor. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming widely used, and has far reaching implications for artists in the digital age. Digital media, by its very nature, is language based. What does the proliferation of AI mean in the context of your work, and do you have any thoughts about this idea of "AI differentiation" as someone who produces physical artwork?
AI has no place in my own work and I don't think about digital art very much. Part of the satisfaction of being an artist for me is having the luxury of time to think and to let myself create. I appreciate the human fingerprint in artwork, even the flaws that handcrafted work can have. Shortcuts in creation may make more work but I don't want to spend my time contemplating something that has so few connections to another human mind. I am not against technology and there are artists working in digital media that are intellectually rigorous and fascinating. I have deep care and empathy for the natural world and the use of AI without thought to the environmental cost is a travesty.
For any future makers who may be reading this -- what are your recommendations? If someone is interested in producing sculpture or fiber art, where should they start?
It is a more accessible world than you think and if you are interested, experiment! Take a ceramics class at your local community college, take a fiber workshop from a local artist, and most of all expose yourself.
Where would you like to be in 5 years time -- this can mean geographically, professionally, spiritually....
We live in a world where the future is difficult to picture. I simply hope to have a space to continue my practice and eyes that want to see it. I am just starting a series of work that utilizes some new materials for me and I am excited to see how the installation manifests.
Rachel Denny's work is represented by Visions West Contemporary Gallery. Please visit Visions West Contemporary for a complete list of available work.
