Images: “ Word Girl”; “Madonna Del Parto” by Fra Angelico with “Vessel for the Word”; “Word Girl” and “China Trophy.”
Word Girl
“Word Girl” evolved from another piece.
Back story: While researching the painting “Madonna Del Parto”, I came across the phrase ‘Mary was the Vessel for the Word.” Vessel for the Word! Of course, I wanted to make my own, literal version of Vessel for the Word. I made an actual vessel with “WORD” subtly visible inside. Like the painting, I included an obvious female symbol; plus, on the platform base, I quoted the pomegranate symbol from the painting’s tent.
Later, I placed the female/word chalice on a new base. By swapping bases, contexts changed. No longer an illustration of “Madonna del Parto”, “Word Girl,” a more ambiguous piece, was born.
“Word Girl” is shown here with “China Cup”, which now has the pomegranate base (no longer religiously symbolic.) China Cup plays with “cup” meaning trophy and refers to china collecting as a sphere of female competition.