"Maisons Interieures," an exhibit by UNM art student Myriam Tapp, creates a sense of being watched, and it's probably because of the 80 tiny white men staring at the viewer from the wall.
The exhibit, the title of which means "Interior Houses," runs until the end of May at the Harwood Art Center. Tapp is a former exchange student from Montreal and future master of fine arts student. She also has art displayed by the southern stairwell of the SUB.
"I think as an artist, it's nice to work and do your own stuff, but it's also nice to show it," Tapp said.
"Maisons Interieures" features a 7-feet-by-12-feet grid of tiny porcelain men with doors, windows and holes in the middle of their chests, ranging from simple to highly ornate in design. The men are symbolic of Tapp's belief in humans' inner homes.
"We all have our personality," Tapp said. "It's kind of representing the house in each of us, as our personal life and experience. It is kind of like we all live together, but we are living in our own individual life."
In the grid, there are four gaps where the viewer might expect a man to be, but instead light fills the area.
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"It became kind of a mystery of what happened with those guys - are they gone?" Tapp said. "Is the person finding his way? . Where did he go? It creates space to think."
Opposite the men, there are two multilayered oil pastels that highlight one man, similar to the sculptures, with light glowing from his chest.
"It was kind of a study and a complement of the art," Tapp said. "I kind of put color on the inside symbolizing life. I kind of wanted to do an emphasis of that. Like, in the inside of the character was the potential of life."
The men, sculpted from porcelain, were first pressed in press mold and then finely sculpted by Tapp before firing. Porcelain, which is generally used for bowls, plates and cups, proved an enticing challenge for Tapp, she said.
"It's really difficult to work with porcelain as a sculpture, because it's so soft and has a lot of plasticity," she said. "It's really hard to work with."
Because of the fickle nature of the material, Tapp had to be energized before working on each piece.
"It's really demanding," Tapp said. "Clay kind of demands and sinks your energy. You need to eat well and take care of yourself. "
Tapp said her work was influenced by the Avita method, first discovered in China, Japan and Korea. Avita porcelain is a mixture of kaolin, found only in the eastern continents, and silica, and created in a special manner. UNM is the only college that teaches Avita porcelain, Tapp said.
"When I first started that technique, it kind of gave me a perspective and meaning in history," she said. "I felt I was connecting with the past in a way. The Avita method is a specific method of doing bowls that was taught for 400 years. After that, I kind of explored that material in a sculpture way."
Tapp said the installation of the exhibit proved to be as taxing as its creation.
"I went to see the space many, many times," she said. "I wanted to have a feel of the space. I felt that you know that you create the whole work, and the install is very important. I worked so hard . and now I'm kind of tired and exhausted."
In addition to the exhibit, Tapp plans to release a book detailing the process of creating the sculptures, the installation and the finished product.
"I just want an exhibition catalog of the show, pictures of the installation, and each individual, and having more of a written content," Tapp said. "I want to do it in French, Spanish and English. I don't know if I'm going to translate word to word, or if maybe it will be different texts. I'm kind of in the process."
Tapp said she chose Albuquerque as her home because of its laid-back atmosphere.
"I lived in a big city, and it's kind of busy," Tapp said. "I felt when I arrived here I could concentrate on my work better. You know I was just focusing on what I wanted to do and was not distracted by other stuff. The people have time and are not too busy. I think I just felt a sense of community here."
Tapp said because of Albuquerque's smaller size it will be a greater challenge to succeed here as an artist.
"At the same time, I think it's hard here for me as a foreigner to start over," Tapp said. "Over there most of my friends live from their art. It's a challenge for me to stay here; it's actually really hard."
Tapp's second opening is on May 1 for her second month at Harwood Art Center.
'Maisons Interieures'
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Harwood Art Center
1114 7th Street N.W.
Free
