Greg Cochenet

MIDWESTERN VERNACULAR

My work is the embodiment of my observation and memory of the landscapes of which I have lived. Growing up in the Midwest surrounded by agriculture, agrarian icons became my vernacular language of self-expression. As urban sprawl invaded the landscape of my youth, I moved 400 miles south into the rural tip of Illinois. At this point my work explored the nostalgia for my Wisconsin home and its vanishing agrarian architecture. Through my work, I spoke of these changes in the form of dilapidated sculptural vessels influenced by silos, barns, and grain bins. After moving again, this time 1,000 miles east to the Atlantic coastline, my work has evolved to incorporate East Coast architectural forms and textures with those of the Midwest. Moreover, a focus on functionality characterizes my current work. These pieces are infused with memory and reverence: the once useful forms of the Midwestern landscape are reinvigorated, miniaturized, and refined into functional ceramic objects.

~Greg Cochenet