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Interview: I Met a Ceramic Man

Maisons Interieures has been exhibiting in The Harwood's Front Gallery (within staring distance of my desk) since the start of April, and it inspired me to do my first interview. Good thing Myriam's so patient, as I didn't have a recording device other than my fingertips and I'd definitely forgotten to pre-write any questions. Hopefully the following words will either stimulate your curiosity or answer some of your own similar questions about the work.

Myriam, we’ve been getting rave reviews about your show in our Front Gallery this month. How did you come up with the concept?

It’s an idea I had for a long time. But 80 characters take a long time to create, so I did not want to start the pieces until I had somewhere to show them. I didn’t want them just to fill my studio! So I applied for a show at The Harwood, and when I was accepted I got really really busy.

Well how did you come to combine people and the open architectural elements of doors and windows together?

To me, the imagery of the houses in these figures symbolize their identities and personalities, their internal constructions. My intention in creating this installation was to represent people & their histories – both as individuals and as part of larger groups. I am really very focused on the idea that we are all single bodies and simultaneously part of something bigger. Our identities reflect that aloneness and our identities also reflect how we interact. Some of us have closed doors. Some of us have open windows.

So on top of the facial expression and posture that each figure has, their unique window or door forms add additional layers to their character.

At the opening I saw lots of people who really seemed to identify with specific figures in a personal way, while they weren’t as interested in other figures.

That’s an interesting overlap. I hear often about the character of a house, but never thought to extend the metaphor to people themselves.

Well houses contain memories, imagery, histories, and dreams of those that live or lived within them. I believe that we, as people, carry our houses (like turtles) everywhere we go in a poetic sort of way. All 80 of the characters are suspended in this timeless monotone installation – referencing these memories and souvenirs of life that make us who we are – because these things are all abstract and kind of timeless inside of us. I read a great book called “The Poetics of Space,” by Gaston Bachelard, which really inspired me to blend these personal ideas, identities with metaphors of architecture.

So why did you decide to make all the figures male? A few visitors to the exhibit have pointed out that you “flipped” the usual paradigm of naked females as objects of art.

Oh, I was really focusing on creating nuanced patterns in this exhibit: the expressions on their figures, the tilt of their heads, the door and window shapes, and then the very subtle color tones. So obviously I knew that I was creating only male figures, but it wasn’t really the point. I did consider creating female forms after I had already created most of the males, but I didn’t want the installation to suddenly become so focused on sexuality. So I just kept going with the forms as they were.

You know in French our language is very heavily skewed male, as is Spanish. And in English people say that “man” did this and “man” did that, supposedly referencing both genders of “mankind.” Maybe part of me was thinking about that language.

Well now that the show is installed and such a success, what are your next projects?

When I traveled home to Quebec this year, and also to Colombia, I wanted to keep working on my creative exercises, but couldn’t really carry lots of clay around with me. So I started making these little ephemeral installations based upon the abundant resources of the areas. In Colombia, it was fruit. In Montreal, it was snow. I created something based on the region, took a photo and am now loading them up on my blog. It’s a fun challenge to work with different media that way. In the near future I have plans to travel to Los Angeles, or London or possibly even Japan and I’m already wondering ‘what materials am I going to find there?’

Also, I was just recently accepted in to the MFA program at UNM! So that will be a big project starting in the fall.

Thanks so much for your time and your inspiring work Myriam!
The show will be available for your viewing, musing, and/or purchasing pleasures up through the end of May. Check it out: M-F 10-4. 1st and 3rd Fridays 6-8 pm. www.harwoodartcenter.org

1 member likes this

Comment by david c kramer on May 1, 2009 at 11:50pm: This show is AWESOME and you can even purchase the pieces (going fast, though). Incredible job, Myriam. You rule. dave kramer

Comment by The Harwood Art Center on May 4, 2009 at 12:11pm: I'll pass your sentiments along to Myriam, David. You're right. The show is awesome!

Comment by Paula Manning-Lewis on May 1, 2011 at 2:58pm: What is Myriam's last name? I just received a couple of these figures as a gift and wanted to find her website! :)

Comment by Wade Patterson on May 3, 2011 at 2:39pm: Hey Paula,

Its Myriam Tapp. Not sure she has a website, but there is a blog: http://myriamtapp.blogspot.com/

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