Ames Palms
let us see the forest and the trees, 2020

wood, glass tubing, noble gas, paint, electronic transformers
48”H x 48”W x 8”D

Artwork Statement:

Our world has been decimated by climate change, a global pandemic, and centuries of white supremacy. I envision an ark overflowing with our righteous queer elders that can deliver us to a liberated future. Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Crystal Jang, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy and Harvey Milk are visionaries whose teachings can answer the questions: Where do we go from here? What world do I want this ark to carry me to? Is it possible to get to a place where we can have true joy, unconditional love and pure trust? This piece is constructed with wooden building blocks. Inside each box is clear glass tubing, filled and lit up with a noble gas, bent to mimic the lines and knots of the grains of the wood. Images of inspirational fearless leaders are burnt into the wood. Recent studies have shown that trees can communicate with each other through a vast root system deep underground. In this piece, trees represent a source used for building, signifying the idea that these are building blocks for an ark which will carry us into a more just future. But we cannot rely on the ark alone to get us there. We have to do the personal work. We need to listen to our queer elders’ deep roots and intricate grains as they communicate with us. Let us see the forest and the trees.

Artist Bio:

Ames Palms (they/them) was born and raised in 70s/80s Brooklyn, New York, and received their BFA in mixed-media sculpture from Alfred University in 1995. Since then, Ames has worked on perfecting their craft as a neon glass blower, creating a variety of neon signs as well as their own art. Almost every advantage Ames has acquired in life can be attributed to white privilege. Ames is most interested in how humans use images and language to communicate ideas, which works well with this medium.