Charles Adams
I have been working on art for the past ten years that challenges the distinction between functional furniture and sculpture. In my most recent work I am exploring the idea of “Guardians” inspired by guardian figures from cultures around the world. My work combines a whimsical, aesthetic sensibility with extensive woodworking and fabrication experience. My pieces are comprised of organic flowing forms of creatures with disproportionate appendages reminiscent of the natural world and art from other cultures, and infused with my imagination. Different types of wood are selected to create the “color,” which is then laminated and carved to develop the parts for assembly.
Protective creatures are reflective of humanity’s consistent need for assistance shielding from the disturbances and “evils” of life. Historically humans have always turned to objects such as talisman, charms, amulets, which are both religiously and culturally based. My pieces are a contemporary take on this very old idea inviting discussion about how one can protect oneself or others spiritually, in a community sense, and politically. They are oversized talisman that provoke conversation based in historical and cultural references relevant to today’s pressing conversations.