Ellie Tomlinson

Ellie Tomlinson

Washington, D.C.

Kenyon Class of ’14, Studio Art major

Are you hungry? The first appearance deceives many, but what about the second, the third, the fourth? I believe that what we want determines what we see; the appetite for something that has never existed, and never will, drives us to manufacture our perceptions.

Through collection and endless repetition, I have combined recognizable materials in an effort to create an improbable object: the chocolate bone. The treatment of each bone and the displays in which they rest reference the candy shop, recalling a nostalgic sense of place while simultaneously disrupting our memories of such. I have constructed this improbable place, allowing it to rest somewhere in between our shared reality and my imagination. Individual bones stand as studies of color, form, and texture, yet their multiplicity generates tension between both material and symbol. This tension creates a constant struggle between impulsion and repulsion, questioning the validity of both our physical and emotional desires.

Even I, having spent hours knee-deep in compost, scrubbing and burning flesh, hair, and bone, must still resist the inclination to touch, and the urge to taste. Even I, fully aware of what lies underneath, wish for the comfort of candy-coating, and a warm remembrance of the past. The sweet, permeating smell of sugar is inviting, deceiving, and disappointing.

— Ellie Tomlinson, ‘14