Racoon (Skunk) 1989

Jimmie Durham created this sculpture "Racoon (Skunk)" and it looks like he’s trying to figure something out – just like any artist. The first thing that strikes me is the clash of textures and images. The wooden post, the animal head with its bright colours, and the black and white photograph, they don’t quite add up, but in a way that’s compelling. It’s like Durham is setting up a visual puzzle. I wonder what it was like for him in the studio, gathering these disparate elements. Was he thinking about nature? About death? Or was he just playing around, letting the materials guide him? Sometimes the best art comes from that kind of intuitive process, where you’re not quite sure what you’re doing until it suddenly clicks. Art making is an invitation to embrace the unknown. Durham's work invites you to explore what might be hiding just beneath the surface.