Sculpting the history to come
The Archaic Impressions of Helena Aikin Three Dimensional Works
From a young age, Aikin was an artist and sculptor fascinated by the malleable materials of childhood. Her playdough figurines soon morphed into clay models when, as a teenager, she enrolled in specialized courses to cultivate that curiosity. A fascination with three-dimensional mediums has continued to guide her artistic journey where even today she continues to discover and experiment with materials. While inspiration has come in many forms from nature to microscopic photography, Aikin recalls a particularly momentous visit to the Hopi (Hopitutskwa Native American people group) reservation in Arizona as a powerful influence.
It was there, surrounded by the stunning sunset shades of the dry earth, that Aikin encountered pre-columbian petroglyphs depicting labyrinths identical to those found in parts of Greece and India. Her time there led her to begin researching the symbology of death, birth, fertility, and the afterlife which were simultaneously present in seemingly disconnected cultures. Her explorations led to a purely unique approach to sculpting, discovering aesthetic themes and material techniques.
Working with cement, resins, mineral filings, plant pulp, soils, and silicon carbides she attempts to mold a tangible life for her mental images. The challenge has led to astonishing finishes and “surprisingly coherent” results. They stand alone as evidence of creativity, struggle, and truthful individuality. As seen in her internationally exhibited work in progress Labyrinths of the World, the powerful pieces en masse seem to be both vessels and fossils in one containing fictional histories.
ARVIVID is a proud collaborator to showcase several of her characteristic pieces. Her stunning sculptures are transportive to viewers as an open invitation to disregard the mundane and connect with the ephemerality of life. Perusing her works one can sense the feeling of traveling back in time and space, brushing aside earth and stone to find a piece of new history.
In Mother and Daughter, forms are seen and connected together in a representation of the complex and intimate relationship between a child and caregiver. The rawness of the materials is felt as they are manipulated with the impression of emerging from the organic surface of stone or earth. One gets a sense of topography between the rippling valleys and trails, as if observing the formation of land and history from an aerial perspective.
Aikin draws from the universal archetype of a Goddess as a symbol of the mystery of life such as seen in Levantine. She evokes ancient times when the feminine was central to our lives and revered for its association with creation, regeneration, protection, and abundance for all.
That abundance is also literally represented such as the figurines of Eye Idols. Each piece draws one in with individual distressed detail and variance. Their collective powerful presence is as if awakening from deep slumber and settling into a captivated and silent observation.
Overall Aikin’s work speaks for itself, vibrating with energies of the past and future. While highly individual, her artistic identity and resulting works hope to appeal to all people. Their decorative presence emanates intrigue and wonderment throughout space making them perfect artifacts for interiors. Given space and light, these pieces delight all senses and enchant the mind, their impressions memorable for the years to come.
