Esmé Saccuccimorano
Integrating material approaches in painting, ceramics, print and glass, I seek to explore how ‘function’ and ‘meaning’ are moveable and permeable concepts, their fluidity contingent on the perceptive lens employed when approaching them. I draw on ideas of placebo, symbology, histories of ritual and talisman, and an interest in linguistic development—all of which share the common denominator of human-imposed function. As I work within this exploration, I have begun to question how our human conception of ‘function’ dictates the hierarchies of value we project onto the world, impacting how we interact with global ecologies and communities. How does our ability to recognize ‘function’ in our surroundings impact the worth we attribute to them? If our fluency in a language is dependent on our recognition of it as a functional system, what other systems of communication might we access if we expand our potential recognition of function?
Formally, I have been amassing a visual lexicon of abstracted shapes and icons, which have found their way into almost all of my work. Many of these shapes are inspired by the ecology of my home in upstate New York—a constant influence in my work—though others arise out of specific personal experiences. Rose hips, bloodroot, and lakeside detritus are a few reoccurring visual signifiers. The use of blind-contour is another staple in my practice, as it allows me to express the subjectivity of perception (particularly regarding facial recognition) while pushing me to work in the undefined or unknown. Rather than producing explicit messages or imagery with these tools, I look to create spaces of vague narrative, which immerse the viewer in this sense of the ‘undefined.’ Viewers are compelled to construct meaning within the unexplained, and to examine how their perception dictates how they understand and navigate their environment.
Esmé received her BFA from Alfred University in 2020 before moving back to Ithaca, her hometown. When not slogging away in the studio, she works at Wide Awake Bakery, slinging bread.
To see Esmé’s work, visit www.esmesaccuccimorano.com/
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