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Inquire New life as art
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June 9, 2005 | Vol. No. 2 BY HEATHER MATTHEWS
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A Q&A with local artist James Chase Old saw blades, rusty chains, and cast-off bottle caps are finding a
new life in the art of Manchester native, James Chase.
Collecting pieces of trash and discarded objects, Chase, a student at
the New Hampshire Institute of Art, creates haunting three-dimensional
collages. The twisted metal forms with staring skeletal faces and
confusing patterns are Chase’s unique tribute to the city he loves and
his family.
This month, Chase is being shown at Deja Vu Art Studio as the artist of
the month. His work will be on display through the end of June and as
part of the 2005 Open trolley tour taking in the city’s art’s culture
and history on June 16.
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 How do you create your work?
A: I walk everywhere. I don’t have a car. I create found art out of the things I find when walking around. I take things out of their element. So, I use saw blades and bottle caps and bicycle chains. Then, from there, I use a collage of photos that I’ve taken or found, cut them out, put a backing on them and I make them (three-dimensional). My work is assemblage art. How is your work a tribute to Manchester?
A: I love Manchester, so I wanted to incorporate that as much as possible. I use what I find in the city in my work. What are your influences?
A: In high school, I took a sculpture class and I was really out of my element. It was more minimalist. I looked at everything differently. I started looking at a more natural palette - the color of rust, the texture of peeling paint and old wood. My grandmother is also an artist and I wanted to incorporate pieces of my grandparents into my work - my grandpa’s old tools.
They’re his saw blades (in the work). No one really knows that when they look at my work.
Where does the dark feeling in your art come from?
A: In eighth grade, a lot of stuff happened to me and I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. That’s when my work started getting darker. All the mouths were sewn up because I didn’t want to talk to anyone. And then from there, the faces I drew had this little thing, a birthmark on their face, because that was me. I wanted my work to represent me. Now all the faces are smiling because my art has been sort of a therapy for me What do you want people to get out
of seeing your work?
A: I want people to use their imagination, to see a bottle cap and to see what it can be. Your work has a creep feel to it,
How do people react?
A: It’s art. Even if people don’t like it, they can look at it and be affected, and I’ve accomplished something. I’m looking for a reaction. I did the strawberry Festival last year. A little girl was staring at my work and her mother grabbed her away saying I was deranged. The little girl asked her mom why she said that. She said, “Well just look at this. It’s called “Self Destruction”’ It’s just a reaction I’m looking for. |
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For more information on James Chase visit www.neverfading.com
The Trolley Tour is scheduled from 5 to 8pm on Thursday, June 16. Any person can simply hop on board the tour at anyone of the
locations and ride from stop to stop, or park at City Hall, One City Hall Plaza, an wait for the next trolley. The tour is free.
The tour will visit City Hall, the New Hampshire Institute of Art, Valley Cemetery, Langer Place, SEE Science Center, the
Millyard Museum, Art 3 Gallery, The Currier Museum of Art, The Manchester Artist Association Gallery, among others.
2005
Manchester Mirror | Manchester, NH
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