Danielle critiques Phillip's print

The context in which Phillip's work operates within is the fictionalization of personal history. My theory about Phillip's print is partially based on the small amount of insight he gave me about it.

This piece consists of two plates creating a single scene. The plate to the viewer’s left depicts what appears to be a pond surrounded by marshy plant life and cattails, while the plate on the viewer’s right depicts a small part of the pond in the background and a campfire along with a pile of firewood and collected tree limbs in the foreground. The flames of the campfire climb up to nearly the top of the image. It appears that some animals like to hang out at the pond, although I’m fairly certain that they did not start the fire. On the left is a swimming duck or some other type of aquatic aviator, and on the right is a turtle perched on a limb protruding from the water. Some other objects that look like rocks and limbs have surfaced in the water. Although they appear to represent the same place, the vegetation surrounding the pond looks different in the two separate images. The vegetation on the left appears much lighter and more sparse than the vegetation on the right. Perhaps they represent different points in time in the life of the pond? Or is there a statement being made about this environment?


Phillip has stated that the print subject is a fictional representation of his childhood. I feel that it must be a conglomeration of memories. For some reason, I think of Boy Scouts because of the firewood, and possibly the “learning to build a fire” badge. I also think of fire as being a source of warmth, power, energy, and light. Mostly though, I am left wondering where the people are that have compiled the firewood and created the fire. Does their absence represent people in Phillip’s life that are no longer around? It seems that this space Phillip has created holds important memories, even though it is a fictional place. I feel that there have been relationships with others built up here, or perhaps this is a place where he made discoveries about himself.