Don Porcaro

Lives and works in New York, NY, USA

Artist statement

My work over time has consistently explored the nature of human interaction with the physical world through architecture and man-made objects. Tools, utensils, buildings and machines eventually become artifacts, archaeological sites and cultural signifiers. I have been Inspired by ancient ruins, but equally inspired by the whimsical possibilities inherent in animation and contemporary culture, which stand at the cusp of what I refer to as “the monster and the child,” something purely fictional and innocent that informs our youthful imagination. Earlier series of works, entitled Sentinel, Childhood’s End and Avatar focus particularly on these elements. My current series entitled, Talisman brings together many of these interests, but with an emphasis on totemic iconography and the human form through the building up and layering of stones. This layering alludes to the accumulation of geological time as well as cultural history, while the feet firmly place the sculptures in the realm of figuration. The brass fixtures make up a complex array of visual associations that bring to mind everything from Venetian perfume atomizers, to Buddhist stupas and African jewelry. As talismans, these sculptures allude to magical properties that would bring good luck to those who touch them, and so by association invite interaction.

Artwork