Companion Species (Repose)

Artist Marie Watt (Native American (Seneca), born 1967)

Date2017

Dimensions8 1/4 × 22 3/4 × 11 5/16 in. (20.9 × 57.8 × 28.7 cm)

MediumSolid crystal on western walnut

ClassificationGlass

Credit LinePurchased with funds given by Dr. Loren Lipson

Object number

2018.41

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 04

Label TextSeneca and Haudenosaunee (People of the Long House) people believe animals to be our First Teachers. From this viewpoint, it is interesting to consider how other cultures hold their relationship with animals, and by extension the greater natural world. Companion Species (Repose) is a work in a larger series by Marie Watt that explores the “reciprocal relationship humans have with nature, and our responsibilities as responsive stewards.” Composed of glass and wood, the sculpture draws on the iconography of the she-wolf, a recurring presence in Watt’s practice. The artist says of the animal, “The She-wolf is mother-like, but not just in the biological sense: our ecosystem needs balanced relationships in order to thrive.” The work illustrates Watt’s ability to weave together complex associations of history, culture, and identity into a singular visual language that is deeply personal to the artist. This sculpture was created during a residency at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY.Published ReferencesCorning Museum of Glass, New Glass Now: 40th-anniverary issue of New Glass Review, Corning, N.Y, Corning Museum of Glass, 2019, repr. col. p. 285.Exhibition HistorySeattle, WA, Seattle Art Fair 2017, August 3-6, 2017.

Portland, OR, PDX Contemporary Art, Companion Species, August 31-September 30, 2017.