Finders & Keepers

With Artwork by Rebecca McGee Tuck, Derrick Te Paske, Aaron Brodeur (curator), Lisa Barthelson, Chris King, and Virginia Mahoney

Finding and keeping are distinct endeavors, although there is a primitive instinct to value that which is found, and hold onto that which is already possessed.  Much like the foraging instincts to hunt and gather, these activities keenly tap into our primal faculties originally designated for survival.  It is no wonder that it is the nature of many artists to have the proclivity to recognize the potential in overlooked materials as both source and inspiration for their work.  In addition, there are artists that expand on the notion of finding and keeping by way of introspection, navigating their memory banks in pursuit of a meaningful moment in time that they had once experienced, to rekindle an ethereal feeling that has long been evanescent, or clinging to a regret that they refuse to release.

So then, what is the motivation behind the pursuit of finding objects?  What compels a person to hold on to tangible items such as personal keepsakes, treasures, valued collections, or even waste?   Why would one store an emotional cache to preserve the intangible feelings of remorse, nostalgia, or pleasure?  The artists in this collection answer these questions in how they showcase their chosen findings, how they artistically intervened, and what they deem important to keep.