
Broken Poem
2020
Polychromed poplar, keyhole escutcheon, antique key, silk cloth, wire, ash base
Item size: 3.5" w x 8" h x 6.5" d



This piece underwent a drastic change from its original concept! The covid pandemic was upon us, but I had recently embarked on what I felt would be a deep and long-lasting relationship with a wonderful woman. I had just given my new love an antique key I'd kept on a cord around my neck for decades - a symbolic key to my heart. In a moment of late-night inspiration, I had penned an intimate 4-line poem to her (I RARELY write anything resembling poetry) and the idea for a heart-shaped vessel to hold it immediately presented itself. Each line from the poem would be contained in its own special drawer.
Fast forward a couple months, just days before the cabinet was completed but still not fully resolved (... an omen perhaps?) our corona-era relationship abruptly ended. Instead of the ritual cleansing by fire or mechanical destruction,
I decided to repurpose the project and cut a surrogate key into 4 pieces to fill the empty drawers. The keyhole escutcheon and the totally new color scheme were late additions.
To the best of my knowledge she has kept the original key.