A burden can be a duty or a misfortune, a hardship or a nuisance. The burden of a ship refers to the maximum load it can carry and it is a synonym for the theme of a novel and the chorus of a song. In Zen philosophy, when you are fully present, you may find that your labor is no longer a burden. “Wood is chopped. Water is carried”. My wife and I bought a beautiful Japanese antique wooden bucket on our honeymoon. The day we returned home with the bucket,
my only brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Today that bucket over-flows with the joy of our marriage and helps carry the burden of my loss. Being good at making things is a blessing and a curse. Can’t afford one? Make one! Making the work for this exhibition, I was forced to confront some of the physical damage this has done over the years. I think this has something to do with the addition of the yoke-like elements in Burden. They call it art work for a reason.
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