SAVANNAH M. FINGER

This piece, titled “The End” by Savannah Finger, is a 3D sculpture and a commentary. At first glance, the sculpture appears to be toilet paper with text on it. This text itself shows itself clearly as scripture from the Holy Bible, as evidenced by its verse styling, indents, and seeing phrases such as “God and “Lamb” quickly. The artist chose a particular page of the Bible due to its relevance and discussable nature in its content. This work is from the student’s series focusing on manipulated forms of the Holy Bible in different media—which can, as a project, be understood to signify how the Bible is often received negatively in contemporary views.

The quotes included on the piece make for interesting thought. “And, behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” This statement in particular deals largely with perceptions of power and self- righteousness.  Also included in the sculpture is the following: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city… For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Clearly referring to the gates of heaven, the inclusion of this quote on a toilet paper roll symbolizes these messages of exclusion and selectivity are not always relevant to the diverse, vastly different everyday lives of people in the 21st century.

The paper, implied toilet paper, is also notably stained and dirty. This can be taken to symbolize unusability, and that it would prove worse for wear to any user to clean themselves with. This sculpture is a detail-oriented work with a clear goal, to comment on the Bible as scripture while at the same time allowing the artist to hone their skill with their crafting techniques.

Review by Bronwyn Hales

ARTIST STATEMENT

I make engaging sculptures out of books that have been discarded to give them a new story by reshaping their familiar form into one that expresses something different. Although books are vessels meant to hold knowledge, ideas, and that which can be expressed in print, they are ultimately just composed of ink and paper. They have become symbols of the ideas they embody however, and therefore it can be difficult to separate the physical books from the messages they were made to spread. In creating art from old books, I expand on the idea that collective understanding is forever evolving toward something greater, and that new discoveries are built upon past knowledge. With my sculptures, I reframe the book, guiding viewers away from the traditional uses and towards a sense that the underlying messages can be more powerful than its initial purpose.

My process begins by browsing thrift stores, searching for books that either hold meaning to myself or others, books that might be loved or hated, or books that have been neglected almost to the point of being lost and forgotten. I may manipulate the words, the pages, the binding, or even the ways in which it can be read. Some of these methods include folding, rolling or gluing the pages, cutting them with a blade, and shooting them with guns. In all of my sculptures, the original book is destroyed to some extent in order to create a piece that reveals deeper meaning. For example, in deconstructing the bible, I aim to emphasize the initial infuriated reaction to having a holy item reconstructed. With these works in particular, I’m highlighting how that notion of valuing the physical book more than its central idea directly contradicts the underlying message of the bible that gets lost in misplacing love in an object instead of a person.

BIOGRAPHY

I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1998 and raised in Shelby, North Carolina for most of my life. I’ve always been driven to create and put my heart into making things with my hands. A passion for crafting has always been present among my family. Though no one calls themselves an artist, they have each found ways of pouring their love into creating something beautiful. My grandmother, or Maw-Maw, was a jack of all trades from sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, painting, etc. She passed many of these skills down to me and fostered the instinct to craft. I’ve also been influenced by my time living in Crema, Italy where I was able to experience an Italian way of life as well as visit numerous art museums and architectural monuments around Europe.