Focus on Ego Geometria Sum and explain the abstract.
Ego Geometria Sum is an artwork created by British artist, Helen Chadwick between 1982 and 1983. The work consisted of ten geometric plywood structures, in the shape of objects associated with Chadwick's past. Black and white naked photographs of the artist as well as locations associated with the objects were printed on the surface of the objects. The objects represent the mass of the artist's body at a progression of ages, from premature birth to maturity at age 30. These objects include a 'Incubator - birth', 'Font - 3 months', 'Pram - 10 months', 'Boat - 2 years', 'Wigwam - 5 years', 'Bed - 6 3/4 years', 'Piano - 9 years', 'Horse - 11 years', 'High School - 13 years' and 'Statue - 15–30 years'. Chadwick chose to not show her face in any of the images on the structures to allow a universality to the work even though it is heavily autobiographical, Chadwick wanted to find universal laws within the chaos of an individual life.The structures were place directly on the gallery floor and were organised in a spiral formation. Surrounding the objects was an enclosed space on three sides by flesh coloured curtains, which suggests a theatrical staging of the past in geometric form. It was first displayed in June 1983 at the Serpentine Gallery's group exhibition, 'Summer Show I' and was originally entitled 'Growing Pains'. The Latin title Ego Geomtria Sum - I am Geometry - had already been conceived by Chadwick before its first exhibition, but was not used formally until it was exhibited at the Art and Research Exchange (A.R.E) in Belfast during November 1983. Shortly after the work was first exhibited, Chadwick in collaboration with photographer, Mark Pilkington, created a series of ten photographs called Ego Geometria Sum: The Labours. In each photograph Chadwick is shown naked either holding or somehow interacting with each structure of Ego Geometria Sum, alluding to the labours of Hercules. In later installations of the work these photographs were displayed between curtains on the gallery wall.
labours of Hercules Geometry Helen Chadwick Serpentine Gallery