Pamela Merory Dernham

Artist Statement

My art is about closeness and the play of tensions that exist in our relationships with each other. It has always centered the human figure, growing from single-figure studies to the portrayal of interacting groups. As my work evolves, it more directly reflects how deeply a desire for closeness has always existed in me. My parents suffered extreme early traumas that left them fearful of exploitation by strangers and unable to feel comfortable in a community. Their influence was a huge obstacle to me in developing the ability to negotiate the world. As a result, I am extremely sensitive to the damage to people, communities, and nations when we are not able to become close and find trust through recognition of our similarities and negotiation of our differences.

My work process involves drawing human figures using steel wire, abstracting the figure so that it is stripped down to create a vocabulary of expression through gesture. These various gestures play off against each other creating dynamic yet spare compositions. The degree to which the figures interact and overlap creates a depth of connection that is both literal and metaphorical.

An important consideration for me as a figurative artist is how I address issues of gender in rendering the human form. My thinking about the presentation of the body has evolved. I no longer consider my figures to represent women or men but simply people. I do not want to limit the possible interpretations a viewer might make of my work due to historical prejudices about qualities and behaviors traditionally labeled as "feminine" or "masculine."

I have adopted two approaches to address this concern. In one, I assert that we all embody degrees of "femininity" and "masculinity"

by making each figure with abstracted forms of breasts and penises. In the other approach, I side-step the question of gender entirely by making figures that have no sexual characteristics, so that the figures are purely about gesture.

My art depicts a broad and embracing perspective of human closeness that allows viewers to respond with their imaginations in as open a way as possible.

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