OLIVIA TURCHYNIAK’S WORK EXPLORES THE DUALITY OF THE INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL SELF, AND COPING WITH THE REALITY THAT WE DON’T HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER THE FLESH IN WHICH WE INHABIT. THROUGH PURPOSEFUL EXAGGERATION, REPETITION OF ANATOMY AND ABSTRACTION, SHE DEPICTS HYPER-FEMININE, OR GENDER BENDING STYLIZATIONS AS A FORM OF CRITIQUE ON BODY PARTS AND THEIR SOCIETAL ASSOCIATION. WITH THE HELP OF SCULPTURES, SHE HOPES TO EVOKE A SENSE OF TRANSITORY FEELING TOWARDS THE BODY, BRINGING AWARENESS TO OUR IMPENDING DECAY. THE METAPHOR OF CLAY DRAWS HER TO CREATE THESE POETIC OBJECTS, PARTICULARLY VESSELS. THE VESSEL IS AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL IN PRACTICE, AS IT CONTAINS THE OUTER SHELL AND INNER VOID, A DUALITY WHICH SPEAKS OF THE BODY. WHILE CLAY IS SOURCED FROM THE GROUND; OUR BODIES ALSO END UP IN THE EARTH. WHAT IS LEFT BEHIND ARE THE PERMANENT CLAY OBJECTS THAT TAKE THE PLACE OF THE BODY. AS THE HUMAN BODY IS BUT A VESSEL, IT IS NONETHELESS, ONE WE MUST MOLD INTO A HOME.