LIMBSHIFT from April 20 to May 19, 2023 at The Stamp Gallery | University of Maryland, College Park | Written by Reshma Jasmin
“Hair holds trauma” is a phrase that people often use to justify their mental-breakdown-fueled impulsive haircuts. While this context of the phrase seems to discredit it, the reality is that memories are not just stored in the hippocampus or neocortex. Neuroscientists and psychologists alike will agree that the body keeps track, as seen in muscle memory, behavioral patterns, and trauma-related disorders or dysfunctionalities. But, as time moves on, so do we. It is rare to take a pause in the chaos and/or rigid structure of our lives to reflect on our memories and emotions, which are also physiologically related (the neural networks for memory formation include the limbic system, or the emotion centers of the brain).
Art therapy is one form of treatment in some cases of trauma and mental illnesses, but it serves as a powerful tool for processing and expressing emotions for all people. Not only is the construction of art healing; viewing art can help people connect to their emotions and memories. Kenneth Hilker’s artwork in LIMBSHIFT not only evokes emotional responses, but also questions the relationships between emotions, memory, and the body.
Kenneth Hilker, “Alterations” (2023), [reclaimed burnt wood, steel, black ink]
In “Alterations,” pictured above, the textured burns and ink on reclaimed wood are reminiscent of scarred or discolored skin. The pseudo-skin wood provokes an awareness of the feeling of being in one’s own body and the texture of their own skin. The presence of imperfections and scars lead the viewer to consider their own body for its current or past wounds, how they healed, and how their bodily encounter with injury and healing affected their experience.
Another image that comes to mind from the highlights and shadows in the pattern of the wood is a blurred crowd of people where the ends of one being are indistinguishable from the edges of another. The burns, however, disrupt this otherwise peaceful image. The steel border adds an element of violent confinement and claustrophobia to the mix, resulting in a visceral feeling of being trapped in a crowd or in one’s own body.
Kenneth Hilker, “What One Should Know” (2023), [repurposed burnt wood, acrylic]
“What One Should Know” appears like lungs expanding in an inhale, or like hips or shoulders as legs or arms spread out. This piece reminds one to breathe, to be cognizant of the movement of their body, and to breathe again. Unlike the reflective stillness “Alterations” encourages, “What One Should Know” evokes an almost undulating motion, similar to a heartbeat or breathing.
The title of the piece is ominous, and for an audience of students (as LIMBSHIFT is an exhibit in a college campus building), anxiety inducing. But in the context of meditative breathing, the title fits the calming nature of the piece. “What One Should Know” is a gentle reminder that what is ultimately important is to breathe. Then one can take note of what is happening in their body that informs their experiences and memories.
Kenneth Hilker’s work is included in LIMBSHIFT at The Stamp Gallery of the University of Maryland, College Park, from April 20 to May 19, 2023. For more information on LIMBSHIFT and related events, visit https://stamp.umd.edu/articles/stamp_gallery_presents_limbshift.