THE INVENTOR’S WAKE

I come from a world of maps, mountains, and cross-country road-trips. My grandfather made maps, my mother followed them, and now they have been passed on to me. It is the space between a map and the location it describes that interests me most, where the identifications and connotations of a place are lost. 

The relationship between human experience and geography is the focus of much of my work. Together, they form an intriguing narrative that gives evidence to one’s physical and emotional connection with a place and the histories that are created there.  

Direct observation is at the core of my practice, whether creating prints, sculptural objects, or drawings. I record my initial observations of a location through sketches, photo documentation, and personal dialogues. Maps, charts, and diagrams are often combined with site-specific imagery to create works that express the affective bond between people and place. 

Claire L Putney