Contextualizing the Developing Self in Helen Chadwick’s Ego Geometria Sum

Imogen Racz

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Abstract

This chapter discusses Helen Chadwick’s autobiographical work Ego Geometria Sum (1982-84) in relation to her reading of Arthur Koestler’s books The Sleepwalkers and Ghost in the Machine, the development and final display of the work, and its artistic and theoretical contexts. The chapter considers how Chadwick united universal ideas with subjective memories, and, in line with postmodernism, destabilised post-Enlightenment notions of self. The installation incorporated ten, emotionally significant objects that represented key stages in her development, onto which she developed photographic collages that conflated past with present, and depicted her performative, adult body engaging with these memory-objects. The development and significance of these and her sophisticated use of visual languages are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationArt and Dance in Dialogue
Subtitle of host publicationBody, Space, Object
EditorsImogen Racz, Sarah Whatley, Marie-Louise Crawley, Katerina Paramara
PublisherPalgrave
Pages105-124
Number of pages20
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-030-44085-5
ISBN (Print)978-3-030-44084-8, 978-3-030-44087-9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Nov 2020

Bibliographical note

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Keywords

  • Helen Chadwick
  • Ego Geometria Sum
  • Koestler
  • Mathematics
  • Memory
  • Identity
  • Objects
  • Sculpture
  • Photography

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  • Art and Dance in Dialogue: Body, Space, Object

    Whatley, S. (ed.), Racz, I. (ed.), Paramana, K. (ed.) & Crawley, M-L. (ed.), 8 Nov 2020, 1 ed. Palgrave. 265 p.

    Research output: Book/ReportAnthology or Edited Bookpeer-review

  • Introduction

    Crawley, M-L. C., Paramana, K., Racz, I. & Whatley, S., 8 Nov 2020, (E-pub ahead of print) Art and Dance in Dialogue: Body, Space, Object. Whatley, S., Racz, I., Paramana, K. & Crawley, M-L. (eds.). 1 ed. Palgrave, p. 1-15 15 p.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Open Access
    File
    16 Downloads (Pure)
  • Please do not touch: Dancing with the sculptural works of Robert Therrien

    Crawley, M-L., 8 Nov 2020, Art and Dance in Dialogue: Body, Space, Object. Whatley, S., Racz, I., Paramana, K. & Crawley, M-L. (eds.). 1 ed. Palgrave, p. 75-89 15 p.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Open Access
    File
    19 Downloads (Pure)

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