Mitchell Messina
Academic Publications

Journal Publications

My work explores how advancements in tools and technology have transformed the nature of human interaction. From primitive existence to today's digital age, tools have marked stages in the development of civilization and provide evidence that human beings continue to advance along an evolutionary continuum. Early tools were not only the extension of the human body but also of the mind, serving as a way of existing in and making sense of the physical world. The catalyst behind my sculpture is the belief that the relationship between man and object no longer extends our capabilities, but instead has begun to limit society. Tools born from advanced technology are creating an emotionally alienated society, devoid of direct human contact. Using anonymous male figures, gesture, and tension, my sculpture expresses narratives of the weakening of genuine human interaction. Chosen as the central material for my work, clay represents a raw material connection to the earth; however, when cast into molds and used in repetition, it simultaneously references the flash point of dehumanization through mass production. I therefore merge the feeling of alienation that modern tools have created with nostalgia for a once-empathetic society fueled by human exchange.

Mitchell Messina - Artist's Statement
Prices available upon request.
Mitchell Messina
Messina Sculpture
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Contact:
Office:
585-389-2530
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