Mary Jo Madda

Mary Jo Madda, Departments of Art History and Art Theory and Practice

Untitled

Ink on White Poster Board, 24" x 48"

Artist's Statement:

These ink drawings represent a 12-piece concentration sketched entirely freehand at the La Brea Tarpits Museum in Los Angeles, which houses a wide array of extinct animal skeletons. Each artwork was created in a 4 to 5 hour drawing session. The series functions as a cross between Leonardo da Vinci notebook sketching and Darwinian evolutionary theory. It follows skeletal deconstruction and reconstruction of new forms, forms that reflect imaged structures of various mythological creatures. I chose to create my own evolutionary history by developing the skeletal forms, breathing life into these extinct species, and giving them a second chance.

Jurors’ Comments:

"These entries show the more technical side to nature, the skeleton, which some people may grimace at, but I find to be beautiful as well. The intricacies and details in these drawings are phenomenal."

"A creative combination of Darwinian Evolution and Mythology. A lovely idea to denude the mythic creatures down to their bare skeletons."

"These drawings creatively embrace a fundamental feature of evolution – extinction; a captivating tribute."

"Wonderful sketches! The dead and extinct are brought back to life and poised to jump off the page…very nicely done."

"Flintstone jackalopes."