Darlene Baker on her sculpture in “Conversation Threads”at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
On Feb. 28, Conversation Threads, an exhibition showcasing textile works by Atlantic Canadian artists, opened at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS). The exhibition was curated by Fabiyino Germain-Bajowa, who highlights artists who use textiles to tell stories while resisting narratives confining textile work to a form of gendered domestic labour and industrial production. The exhibition featured several Mt.A. fine arts graduates including Courtney Wagner (class of 2025) and Alana Morouney (class of 2021), as well as current student and upcoming graduate, Darlene Baker. In an interview with The Argosy, Baker recalled her excitement upon seeing her sculpture, “I am Conflicted by this Relationship,” in the provincial gallery, saying she was “thrilled to see it there, among the other works.”
Baker’s sculpture is a gas pump, modeled after the type she pumped while working at her father’s gas station as a child. Baker used archival photographs to emulate the blocky form gas pumps had in the 1980s. The pink pump is supported by a steel frame Baker welded herself, working with tools she was discouraged from using as a child. The armature is covered in what Baker describes as “little girl fabrics:” fuzzy, pink, and white cotton fabric, cloth commonly used for sewing baby blankets. The company logo and register have been altered to resemble feminine hygiene pads, and the gas nozzle has been slightly modified to emphasize its phallic shape. It is attached to the pump by what Baker calls an “umbilical-cord hose.” While creating this piece, Baker says she was trying to be “as wild and personal” as she could.
The sculpture is rooted in Baker’s childhood, and from a growing awareness about patriarchy and sexism. She describes the creation of this piece as centered around “all that kind of stuff which I wasn’t fully aware of until I came [to Mt.A].” Baker’s father owned a gas station of a large regional oil producer. While Baker is grateful for the money that raised her, she also feels uncomfortable with its source. Baker reflects on her experience as a young girl growing up in a sexist environment, and how that informed her ideas on femininity. She emphasizes this experience “wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty.” The alterations she made to the gas pump bring attention to “that discomfort for women,” as well as the broader unease surrounding “the price we have to pay, both ecologically, and with the control that these companies have over our region,” and New Brunswick’s economic dependence on the oil and gas industry.
Although her sculpture addresses serious and disheartening subjects, Baker says “I wanted it to be positive. I think that it’s important, with feminism, that we’re still naming it.” Baker continues, saying “The movement is not over.” She encourages people to talk about it, warning against the rising gender inequality in the United States. She adds that “I hope [“I am Conflicted by this Relationship”] makes a statement. I hope it says: pay attention to this issue.”
Baker created “I am Conflicted by this Relationship” for a sculpture assignment after being encouraged by fine arts professor, Adriana Kuiper, to leave her thematic comfort zone. Baker’s final sculpture ended up on the Mt.A fine art’s Instagram page, after winning the annual “Just Ducky” Sculpture Award. This is when it was noticed by Curator Germain-Bajowa.
Baker continues to explore themes of feminism and the duality of industry versus environment. After graduating in May, Baker plans to work as a practicing artist, focusing on photography, sculpture, and painting. While Baker feels a bit apprehensive about leaving behind the spacious studio spaces she’s grown used to, she remains confident saying “I’ll do something, I just don’t know what it’s going to be.”
To find out more about Baker and her practice visit her website: www.darlenebaker.com
To find out more about the exhibition Conversation Threads visit: agns.ca/exhibition/conversation-threads/