I create large-scale, site specific installations. The media varies widely from cast porcelain to steel to wood. Most of my work is built over the course of months and years. The concept behind much of my work deals with futility and the individual’s role against a larger, more powerful cultural backdrop. Often this is a poetic tale of loss, sorrow, and quiet resignation. Early works such as Reconstructed Nostalgia and the Athens Brick Project dealt with the loss of the industrial era and the impact on small midwestern towns. Later works, such as Metronome, continue this theme and are an homage to the hand-crafted item. In recent times, my work has taken a more political edge, addressing such issues as war (Foreign Policy) and the influence of fundamentalism (Heaven and Earth).
- Shawn Busse, 2007