BODY/CYCLE

USING FOUND MATERIALS SUCH AS EGGSHELLS FROM HER KITCHEN, BED SHEETS FROM HER GRANDMOTHER, GRASS FROM HER GARDEN, MENSTRUAL BLOOD FROM HER BODY, AND TRINKETS FROM HER CHILDHOOD, BUKOVEC EXHIBITS 12 WORKS IN PORCELAIN THAT PORTRAY HER LEARNING/UNLEARNING ABOUT HER BODY/CYCLE, WHILE INVITING HER AUDIENCE TO REFLECT, QUESTION, AND SHARE THEIR OWN STORY.

THE INDIVIDUAL INSTALLATION TITLED BODY/CYCLE INSPIRED THE LARGER SOLO SHOW EXHIBITION AND WAS CREATED FROM A MOLD OF THE ARTIST’S OWN BIRTH CONTROL PACKET, REPRESENTING 86 PACKETS THAT THE ARTIST CONSUMED IN TOTAL. THIS WORK BEGAN BY HER DESIRE TO PROCESS (AND LITERALLY SET IN STONE) HER INTERNALIZED EXPERIENCE CONSUMING HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL EVERY DAY FOR 7 YEARS WITHOUT QUESTION. THIS EXPERIENCE, LIKE MANY OTHERS, WAS ACCOMPANIED WITH UNCOMFORTABLE SYMPTOMS, CYCLE INCONSISTENCIES, AND ANXIETIES THAT PERSISTED. IT WASN’T UNTIL BUKOVEC’S LATE 20S WHEN SHE MET A FRIEND WHO TAUGHT HER ABOUT HER CYCLE, NATURAL METHODS OF SYNCING AND TRACKING. LEARNING THIS NEW INFORMATION ABOUT HER BODY FOR THE FIRST TIME FUELD A FIRE INSIDE THE ARTIST TO QUESTION THE SYSTEMS THAT KEEP BODIES FROM ACCESSING KNOWLEDGE, WHILE REFLECTING ON INTERGENERATIONAL WISDOM, TRAUMA, AND THE SHARED HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN A BODY.

BUKOVEC INVITES HER AUDIENCE TO EXAMINE THEIR OWN LEARNING/UNLEARNING ABOUT THEIR BODIES AND SHARE THEIR OWN STORIES ANONYMOUSLY IN THE COMPOSITION NOTEBOOKS PROVIDED IN “THE LOUNGE” INSTALLATION OR SPARK UP A CONVERSATION WITH A FRIEND.

FLIP THROUGH THE ARTIST BOOKLET BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 12 WORKS EXHIBITED INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY PROJECT: THE BROKEN PLATE PROJECT, CERAMIC BOWLS REPRESENTING THE MOTHER/DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP, CYCLES CLOCKS THAT REVEAL INFORMATION, AND A CERAMIC BASKET OF FOUND OBJECTS TITLED: I CONTAIN MULTITUDES, FURTHER EXPLORING BUKOVEC’S RELATIONSHIP TO SELF.