Material culture is an important aspect of understanding past and present history. The concept is used in anthropology and archeology and refers to the cultural significance that an object may have. Whether tools, religious items, clothing or even art, physical objects have always been a reflection of the societies that wield them. Glass artist Laura Kramer is caused by this phenomenon.
In her work, Kramer incorporates personal experiences from her studies of anthropology and archeology and participation in excavations – or ‘excavations’ – on St. Eustatius, an island in the Caribbean. “I am interested in the connection of the imbued spirit in the object,” she explains. “My work is strongly influenced by the cabinet of curiosities – strange objects that may not be easy to categorize.”
From her studio in Rhode Island, Kramer sculpts organic shapes inlaid with graceful textures that mimic the natural formation of crystals. Sometimes the artist uses found objects, such as wasp nests, special sculptures that defy generally accepted classification systems. Challenging the typical boundary between the man-made and the natural, her sculptures enter a liminal space when examined from an anthropological point of view.
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