Jordan Bennett

'Common Ground, 2007, Skateboard, Beadwork, Leather, 22cm x 74cm x 2 cm 'Common Ground (detail), 2007, Skateboard, Beadwork, Leather, 22cm x 74cm x 2 cm The Mic-Mac, 2007, Macintosh Computer, Leather, Beadwork, 20 inches d x 18 inches h x 16w The Mic-Mac (detail), 2007, Macintosh Computer, Leather, Beadwork, 20 inches d x 18 inches h x 16w
Traditional Mi'kmaq Surfboard, 2007, Styrofoam, Fiber glass, Epoxy, Beadwork, Leather, Acrylic Paint, 6 feet 4 h x 2 feet w x 1 inch d Traditional Mi'kmaq Surfboard (detail), 2007, Styrofoam, Fiber glass, Epoxy, Beadwork, Leather, Acrylic Paint, 6 feet 4 h x 2 feet w x 1 inch d Marrow Truck Co. 2008, Carved Moose Antler into Skateboard Truck, 8 inches x4 inches x 5 inches Conform, 2008, Installation, Syrofoam, Flocking, Antler, Digital Video, Silver Leafing, Wax, Size may vary

Artist Statement

I am a Mi'kmaq Indian from the west coast of Newfoundland. My art deals with a combination of popular culture, mixed with my Mi'kmaq and contemporary ways of life, and how each affects my every day. When choosing materials, I seek out the appropriate medium such as Styrofoam, traditional beadwork, skateboards, moose antler, animal hide and various other natural and manufactured objects that will help speak directly to the subject matter and the message I want to portray through my work. Through the process of sculpture, digital media, drawing and painting, I try to push boundaries and play with the ideas of traditional Aboriginal craft, ceremony, and the idea of the artifact in our contemporary society. By creating objects and imagery that do this, I attempt to provoke the viewer to question and interpret the authenticity of these “Indian Artworks/Artifacts” and what it is to be “Indian” in contemporary North American society.

Looking Towards the Past, 2008, Plexiglas, Skateboards, 4 feet x 4 feet x 6 feet Looking Towards the Past, 2008, Plexiglas, Skateboards, 4 feet x 4 feet x 6 feet The Double-curve Motif in Traditional Skateboard Petroglyphs (study), 2008, Digital Print, 2 feet x 8 feet The Double-curve Motif in Traditional Skateboard Petroglyphs, 2008, Digital Print, 2 feet x 8 feet
jilaqami'g no'shoe, 2009 Carved Skateboards (22cm x 70cm x 4cm) jilaqami'g no'shoe, 2009 Carved Skateboards (22cm x 70cm x 4cm) jilaqami'g no'shoe, 2009 Carved Skateboards (22cm x 70cm x 4cm) jilaqami'g no'shoe, 2009 Carved Skateboards (22cm x 70cm x 4cm) Shot With Arrows, American Indian Whitewash Graffiti, 2009 Stenciled Spray Painting, Acrylic on Canvas 30 inches x 84 inches
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