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Freedom Flag/My Spirits Soar

Richard Heikkilä-Sawan, Freedom Flag, buffalo hide, dye, 2015, 200cm x 136.5cm x 6.5cm (plus variable fur thickness)

Richard Heikkilä-Sawan, My Spirits Soar, Hudson’s Bay history book, King James bible, John Fluevog Rigas boots,
mannequin legs, laquer, Finn chair, unopened Big Rock beer can, Lego bricks, foam shapes, Band-Aids, spray paint,
children’s wooden stacking toy, mahogany valet stand, braided roping, CNC routered yellow cedar, light bulb,
toggle switch, 2015, 195cm x 45.5cm x 45cm.

Hovering in the space between a sculpture and a painting, Freedom Flag boldly proclaims its identity. But what identity is it trying to proclaim? Its formal attributes reveal a heavily textured support to which a repeating striped pattern has been applied. The support has been stretched like that of a painting. But where is the paint? The ambiguity of its form only helps to confuse; to provoke; to titillate. And what about the holes?

The concept—suggesting minimalism and perhaps bordering on naiveté—is loaded with clues and symbolism if one chooses to journey into the depths of meaning; especially from a contemporary cultural position fraught with historic baggage. The possibilities are endless. But then again, perhaps one might simply allow it to BE exactly what it is.

On the other hand, My Spirits Soar—a reference to two-spirited individuals within the Aboriginal community—clearly presents itself in sculptural form; each element laiden with meaning. It is a self-portrait created with honesty, transparency and vulnerability. The materials list may convey some clues, but are they really neccessary? Is it important to satisfy inquiring minds? As Freedom Flag suggests, My Spirits Soar may simply be an effect of its legacy; affording the possibility to just BE.

The original full buffalo hide Buffalo HideThe hide immediately had a following—most fought the temptation to roll around on it. Buffalo HideThe cut buffalo hide strips ready for the bleaching process Buffalo HideJessica Mõlcan providing her cosmotology expertise in the bleaching process Buffalo HideThe bleached buffalo strips laid out to dry Buffalo HideThe buffalo hide strips ready to be dyed The TeamBrenda Crabtree, Kanerahtahsóhon Burning, Joshua SnQeqtseqa Jack and Raven John double hand stitching the freshly dyed (and very wet) buffalo strips back together. The TeamJoshua SnQeqtseqa Jack nimbly hard at work
Freedom Flag taking shape (laiden with water) ready for the top and bottom leather strips to be machine stitched Machine StitchingJen Hiebert machine stitching the outer edges on a saddle-making machine utilizing the manual wheel exclusively Granville Island SeriesDrilling a 3" circular cavity for the electrical plug within the centre of the two books used as the base John Fluevog ShoesRetiring my favourite John Fluevog Rigas boots for the sake of my self portrait sculpture. I cringed as the drill passed through the sole. The Finn ChairFitting the radically altered Finn chair with the mannequin legs Big Rock BeerIt was important for the narration of the project that Big Rock beer from Alberta be included. Unfortunately, only two stores carry the product in cans within the greater Vancouver area
with a minimun fifteen can case. I have never tasted beer (hence the unopened can) so an abundance of beer was not a desired outcome.
Fastening the beer canThe bottom cavity of the unopened beer can was filled with pourable epoxy. Three screws partially fastened to the Finn chair was lowered into the epoxy supported by a special jig.
Ironically, it took three days 'to get hard'.
Three days to get hardIt took three days for the epoxy to get hard in order to support the erect beer can.
The mannequin legs sprayed with a primer coat in preparation for the red laquer. Heart BallThe foam sphere being drilled to accommodate the hollow metal support. Granville Island SeriesMultiple holes being drilled into the valet stand 'hanger' to accommodate the hollow metal support and 'arm' roping. MoonfaceThe 'moonface' yellow cedar sculpture from a previous project on the drill press. MoonfaceThe yellow cedar 'moonface' hollowed out and drilled to accommodate the hollow metal support, light bulb socket and rear toggle switch. Partially assembled torsoThe partially assembled 'torso' segment of My Spirits Soar My Spirits SoarMy Spirits Soar, Hudson’s Bay history book, King James bible, John Fluevog Rigas boots, mannequin legs, laquer, Finn chair, unopened Big Rock beer can, Lego bricks, foam shapes, Band-Aids, spray paint, children’s wooden stacking toy, mahogany valet stand, braided roping, CNC routered yellow cedar, light bulb, toggle switch, 2015, 195cm x 45.5cm x 45cm., 2012, oil on canvas, 147.3cm X 96.5cm Freedom Flag/My Spirits SoarFreedom Flag, buffalo hide, dye, 2015, 200cm x 136.5cm x 6.5cm
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