Artist Statement

Juxtaposing value.

Value is only various projections of hierarchical systems based on sentimental and historical events.

Emma Bernhard is interested in the way we define, project value and give objects of no specific use a context and an identity based on the situation in which we are confronted with them. Through these built up collages she tries to explore patterns of hierarchy and our attraction to define others and ourselves within its laws. She often uses components or objects with no real function, no clear intention or reason of being. She also uses and reuses the same material. The role the material play in its sculptural composition doesn’t necessarily reflect its natural strengths or weaknesses, just one of its natures in relation to another components character. So by not changing the material, only its role she changes the projected value by sometimes portraying the same material as the beam, the fragile component or only the useless one. A rope for example has such a clear value to us by its definite use that when it is not being used as such its value lingers and we fail to accept its uselessness and strive to find its purpose.

When confronted with objects we have no relationship to our mind will classify them based on for example resemblance, their ability and the items placed around it. Emma Bernhard sees her sculptures as characters, redefining and defining them selves, changing roles. Can one be strong and weak, soft and hard? She hopes to explore and challenge ideas of containment and entrapment and wonder about the set of rules under which we obey. Or is she completely off track claiming we obey under a set of rules when we actually are these sets of rules, is it a human vanity to think we can be freed, exist on higher levels and that we have a mind that is imprisoned rather than being the actual prison?