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Tor Archer

I work primarily from the solitary, standing female form as a representation of the life giving, nurturing and creative force of Nature and the archetypal association of the female body with the earth.  I think of these figures as akin to religious iconography and objects of veneration.  In the creation of the work I take inspiration from the direct observation of the natural world, both microcosmic and macrocosmic.

Many of these observations are from the botanical world.  The structure of twigs and branches, of roots, the veins of a leaf, looking up through the canopy of a tree, the way vines intertwine or the way plant matter is woven into a bird’s nest.  It is these elemental forms that I aim to translate into figurative form.  I work with copper for its malleability and history as an archaic metal known for its conductivity on an energetic level.”

The wall pieces reflect an ongoing interest in old manuscripts, indecipherable texts, scrolls, books, mythologies, religious imagery and worn, salvaged materials.  These are usually based on a figurative image or images, presented in either an iconic format or within a suggested narrative, each intended to suggest contained meaning.  Many have an invented language to hint at the possibility of deciphering the meaning within, which ultimately remains hidden, leaving the desire for meaning and all that it would bestow upon the viewer as the intended message.

Building: 117 - Studio: 3117
Phone: 415-822-2826
Email: torarcher@gmail.com
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Tor Archer "A Woven Nest," 2018, 74" x 17" x 22", Fabricated Copper, Patina on Marble Base
Tor Archer "Mythological Tapestry," 2018, 11”x59”, Book Jackets, Copper. Steel, Bone, Wood, Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf, Paint
Tor Archer “An Effigy of Leaves V,” 2014 69”x16”x20”, Fabricated Copper, Patina on Limestone Base
Tor Archer "A Figurative Thicket," 2019, 34”x9”x9”, Fabricated Copper, Patina on Marble Base
Tor Archer "Tree of Life, Days and Nights," 2018, 11”x22”, Book Jackets, Copper, Bone, Wood, Gold Leaf