Mac Miller-Reeves
Sculptures
"Ready or Not"
30"x 13"x 9"
Fiber Glass, Wax, Metal Wire, Faux Flowers
Spring 2018
“Ready or Not” depicts a woman cloaked in beauty and immaculacy, yet she is carrying a haunting life form inside. Realizing that one is unprepared for a task in life is a terrifying awakening, especially when that endeavor is an unwanted pregnancy. The woman is no longer in charge of her life. She is now regarded as responsible for another life.
The woman’s body is changed forever, in addition, so is her lifestyle. When acknowledging a pregnancy, most people see radiance and integrity, yet fail to acknowledge the pain and revision it can hinder on a mothers life. The idea of creating life is wonderful for those who feel prepared, but an unexpected change to a woman's life like this causes her to raise a life-altering question and act accordingly to that decision.
This piece is intended to remember the hardships of women carrying the societal expectations of creating life. Not everyone is meant to be or wants to be a parent. "Ready or Not" was made to discuss the fear of unwanted pregnancies and the women who have to decide how to deal with that circumstance.
"Opposition"
3” x 4” x 7”
Bronze, Fabric, Thread
Spring 2018
"Opposition" represent human natures tendencies to classify and diverge information. Instead of finding similarities, we devised differences. These forcible binaries cause rifts in communication and propel tension between each other. The hands echo the idea of different identities coming from a single and unified entity; the human body or human society.
The nature of the hands reflect the effects on societal structures by illustrating how stretched and worn the fabric appears. The cloth is simultaneously being pulled apart but held together with the opposing force. The added embroidery thread reaffirms the notion of a division as a harmful practice and by the addition of thread, it supports the taut fabric. These additions remind and warn against the progression of dividing human society.
The phrase "Dived We Fall" sewn into the fabric shows a dismembered group of words mimicking the visual representation of the meaning. By negating the first part of the quote, it illustrates how human society currently focuses on being the superior identity instead of using differences to strengthen one another as a whole and unified people.
"Vices"
18" x 16" x 19.5"
Cigarette Packs, Thread, Steel Rod, Found Objects
Fall 2017
In a society ruled by the perpetual cycle of routine, we form habits within our day to day activities. Some may be beneficial, like brushing our teeth or going to the gym. On the contrary, it seems our society has been consumed by routine vices that do more harm than good. An obvious example would be smoking or drinking. People know the health repercussions of these decisions, and that actions such as littering beer cans or cigarette packs also creates pollution issues in our environment.
The cigarette packs that line the inside of “Vices” speak to the wastefulness and pointlessness of smoking. The pristine white exterior is bursting at the seams of the formed lungs. Everyone has bad habits to help them cope with the stress of life, and many people understand the aftermath of his or her actions. Unfortunately, the outcome of some people's actions often does not match the fallout they think may inevitably ensue. The stitches that hold the cigarette packs in place are painstakingly sewn on, each one sealing the fate of the form being lined with packs of tobacco products, each thread represents a conscious choice to do so. Any given action has its consequences, regardless of the awareness of repercussions that are possible to arise.
"Cariosity"
16” x 5” x 6”
Aluminum, Clay, Wood
Spring 2016
“Cariosity” represents the process of life. In every stage, we develop an ever-evolving perspective of what losing our teeth means. As infants, the event of teething is very painful, much like the growing inevitability of the struggles faced by all. In childhood, we eventually begin losing teeth which are seen as a sign of growth, represented by the sculpture's plant-like structure at the bottom. Once progressing through life as young adults into adulthood, we are typically sucked into mundane routine lifestyles, as represented by the smooth middle section. When we grow older and our bodies begin to rot and decay, occasionally forfeiting our teeth, it is a morbid reminder that we are dying and withering away, much like the cavity filled top that tapers off into nothingness.
No matter what phase we are in, we hold a sense of pride and vanity in our teeth. The hard aluminum this sculpture is formed from reflects the strength of our teeth and the wear that they are burdened with. The lower tunnel in this piece is brimming with teeth made to look like porcelain which was the material used to originally create fake teeth starting in 1770. Fake teeth are implemented once a tooth can no longer fulfill its purpose, including its putrefaction. Cariosity is the method in which a tooth decays. Much like this process, people experience both growth and deterioration through the sequence of life.
"Cocoon"
30” x 10” x 11”
Wood, Acrylic and Enamel Paint, Expanding Foam
Spring 2016
The discrepancies of how societies view female sexuality, and the female form, have ranged from disgust to reverence. For many, the female anatomy is representative of creation, life, spirituality, and sexual desire. Many are offended by the female form they may see depicted in art, feeling that it is vulgar, controversial, or requires censorship. Due to this uncertainty and confusion many feel about female sexuality or anatomy, there have been countless amounts of mistreatment and patronization of women. "Cocoon" represents the unwelcomed violence and sexual assault that many women have had to face, and will continue to face until our society makes a change to their thinking.
This sculpture highlights the destruction many women experience after a sexual assault. Sexual assault can destroy a woman's view of their own sexuality, and their own value. What may have been seen as a cradle for new life or creation has now been disturbed and disrespected with the prevalence of rape. We need to continue to bring more awareness to the subject of sexual assault. It is common in a media filled society to hear about the changes our communities are making on this subject, but it is less common for people aware of these issues to go out into the world and try to make a difference?. Even with all of this uprising awareness for sexual assault, it’s still not enough to create change. Making a difference doesn't always elicit a march or a protest. It starts with a mindset, which then comes into fruition when we speak up for others or act in accordance with our morals. We, as a whole, need to change our actions, not just our outlook.