I decided to try and stick to a focused artistic theme around the time that I finished “Land of his Ancestors,” so I began working on a series that I thought could represent various cultures from around the world. Ancestral Waters was an obvious and meaningful first choice, drawing inspiration from my own Norwegian heritage. I selected snow-clad mountains in a remote, far northern fjord of Norway as the setting for another “hidden faces” piece, hoping to capture a sense of mystery and connection to my family’s ancestral lands.
However, I realized that I was treading into sensitive territory in which “culture series” could be misunderstood or condemned as stereotyping, or even worse, as somehow racist. Any artistic path that might cause me to be perceived as a person who unfairly portrays others is one that I will firmly avoid. Maintaining integrity and respect in my work is essential to me.
Because of this, I decided to abandon the theme, recognizing that there are so many other rich and inspiring subjects to explore creatively. Despite that, this was certainly a fun and meaningful drawing to create, and I included myself in it as the tiny figure snowshoeing quietly around the little inlet- it is symbolic of my constant traveling for work. The runestone prominently featured in the foreground simply reads: “THIS WAS MADE FOR MY LINE. I HEXUM MADE THEM.”
Artwork measures 11” x 14”
I decided to try and stick to a focused artistic theme around the time that I finished “Land of his Ancestors,” so I began working on a series that I thought could represent various cultures from around the world. Ancestral Waters was an obvious and meaningful first choice, drawing inspiration from my own Norwegian heritage. I selected snow-clad mountains in a remote, far northern fjord of Norway as the setting for another “hidden faces” piece, hoping to capture a sense of mystery and connection to my family’s ancestral lands.
However, I realized that I was treading into sensitive territory in which “culture series” could be misunderstood or condemned as stereotyping, or even worse, as somehow racist. Any artistic path that might cause me to be perceived as a person who unfairly portrays others is one that I will firmly avoid. Maintaining integrity and respect in my work is essential to me.
Because of this, I decided to abandon the theme, recognizing that there are so many other rich and inspiring subjects to explore creatively. Despite that, this was certainly a fun and meaningful drawing to create, and I included myself in it as the tiny figure snowshoeing quietly around the little inlet- it is symbolic of my constant traveling for work. The runestone prominently featured in the foreground simply reads: “THIS WAS MADE FOR MY LINE. I HEXUM MADE THEM.”
Artwork measures 11” x 14”
