Tim Hawkinson

Tim Hawkinson is an American artist that was born in San Francisco, CA, in 1960.  After graduating from San Jose State University, he transferred onto the University of California where he received his MFA.   Hawkinson creates pieces that range in scale from large to small, and uses his re-imagining of his own body for the source of many of his pieces, from transforming his ideal of his self-portrait to using  something his body creates like hair or fingernails.  In addition to using his body for his installations, Hawkinson is also known for using music and the passing of time; highlighting his theme through the material, technique, and the process he uses.  While the work may seem simple to the audience that observes it, it’s actually anything but simple, instead comprised of a complex system entailing such things as mechanics through hand-crafted electrical circuitry. 

An example of piece that Hawkinson re-imaged his image is Pentecost.  This massive piece was created by arranging cardboard tubes into the shape of a giant tree, and placing robots on the branches and floor under the tubes.  The robots are actually replicas of himself, and he programmed them to beat out hymns at irregular intervals.  Pentecost adheres to Hawkinson’s theme of creating self-portraits in a fictional sense, while applying music and programming to finish the piece.

Pentecost, 1999 
Polyurethane Foam, Sonotubes, Solenoids, Found Computer Program & Mechanical Components
Dimensions Variable
Ace Gallery

On the other size spectrum is Bird, a 2 in. skeleton representation of a bird that is comprised solely of Hawkinson’s fingernail pairings.    Due to the details and precision of the skeleton of Bird, Hawkinson has created a minute piece that actually looks like a skeleton and not at all like fingernail pairings.  In fact, I feel that the skeleton looks more like something ancient, a very naturalistic form that embodies that of a bird skeleton even in color.

Bird, 1997 
The Artist's Finger Nail Pairings
2"(H) x 2 1/4"(W) x 2"(D)
Ace Gallery

Bird, 1997 
The Artist's Finger Nail Pairings
2"(H) x 2 1/4"(W) x 2"(D)
Ace Gallery

When looking at Hawkinson’s work, I can admire how he likes to push the boundaries of his own body, showing his body and what it creates in ways that transform it into something new.  His exploration into his own body must give him an outlet to know himself intimately, while giving viewers an enlightening experience through his use of mechanics, separating himself from your typical “body project” artist.