Virtual Stories That Object Tell
Claiming Myself
Cory Stangeland
desk, luggage, religious textbook, personal photographs
2020
I found this artwork to be extremely meaningful to me. It represents a connection to my past and offers insight into who I am as a person. The manner of creating this artwork has aided me in confronting the struggles of identity. As a child growing up in a broken family, mental health, poverty and sexual identity were a problem for me, and this followed me into adulthood. I chose these materials because they have a strong connection to my past. Photographs have a way of capturing time, emotion, and memories. The desk is a powerful symbol of knowledge and learning, and connects what I have learned and what I will learn as I continue my journey in this life. The incorporation of the travel luggage represents my struggles with moving around as a child. Growing up with a feeling of insecurity, it is a reminder of what little I could fit inside. It is a representation of my family life, religion, and self-worth. The religious textbook illustrates the friction within my religious upbringing and speaks to my sexual identification as a gay male. My religious affiliation disapproved of my sexual orientation. This disapproval would bring great uncertainty in my world and would cause me to re-evaluate my belief system of my faith.
This artwork relates to the theme of identity. It has helped me identify the problems that have occurred in my life. It has also helped me deal with the trauma, in helping me move through my life events, and has provided a positive change in the man I have become. A major challenge in making my artwork was incorporating each item in a way that the viewer would understand my message. With each object having a specific meaning already, I struggled with how I would make a broader connection to the emotions contained within my chosen objects. If I could ask the viewer a couple of questions, I would ask them what they find personally meaningful in the work. What do they feel is worth holding on to, and what do they feel is worth letting go of? Materialistic things come and go, but knowledge is the one thing that can never be taken away.
About Cory Stangeland
I was born in Vermilion, Alberta, and have lived in the prairie province my whole life. I am currently a full-time student at the University of Lethbridge, and I am working towards completing a double major with a B.F.A. – Art and B.Ed. I currently live in Lethbridge while attending my second year of studies. Facing a near-death experience in 2017 has profoundly shaped my outlook on life. I’m now living in the moment and loving who I have become.
