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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.

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