Lives in his Head

Linda Hack is a USA born surrealist artist, and we were delighted to have her with us for the second round of the conversation. Linda has taught art in various capacities throughout her career, and spent time studying at Central St. Martins, where she also displayed her controversial piece ‘The Sacrifice’.

Linda’s work has always centred around the ethical and ecological aspects of destruction of nature by the human race, and is no stranger to widely varying reviews which is no surprise as she has never been afraid to ‘offend,’ nor to inspire.

She has always been fed with inspiration from her roots; the Bible Belt of Lamar, in the heart of the Midwest. Born in Missouri in the late 1940’s her upbringing consisted of “guns, cattle and God. Stating, “My work has been an investigation into my small town Midwestern Catholic/Bible belt roots in South west Missouri, USA.”

Linda has always liked to work with contrasting materials; animal horns and sewing machines, for example. The putting together of found objects with their own meanings and histories, creates new life where there was death. Her assemblages combine the visceral - animal skins, bones, horns etc - with objects which are the products of our technological society and creates themes touching on our social commentaries.

“Ecology is becoming one of the most challenging frontiers. But there is an even more intractable barrier, waiting internally, as our attitudes and perceptions may well prove to be the last frontier.”