Philip E. Harding

Philosophical Statement

 I see art as a broad multidimensional activity involving a broad array of lifestyle choices, only a few of which involve the production of the commodities people collect and display as works of art. Art emerges from a quest for meaning and values and the effort to live according to those values. Hence, art should not be approached directly. If one talks about life and culture then art can be intuitively apprehended.

 The activities, influences or forces in my own art/life are myriad. I have an abiding love for the study of art and architectural history, comparative religion, mythology and philosophy. I maintain an interest in urban planning and feel strongly about the politics of building. I am also involved in an ongoing experiment in suburban ecological design and management. I not only maintain large fruit, vegetable, herb and flower gardens, but practice aquaculture and poultry (duck) farming on a small scale. I am also forced to respond to a social context unique in the United States ­ a place that both feeds and frustrates me as an artist. I have grown up in a town full of people sworn to secrecy ­ a town that had more police per person than any other city in the state and where there is no such thing as an unguarded remark about the nuclear industry.

 In the midst of my cultural studies and activities, art has emerged as the one enduring unifying factor ­ the still point. I must emphasize that it is not a hobby, but a compelling vocational drive. Great art is not produced as an ornamental supplement to an otherwise materialistic life, but is an outgrowth of a life lived holistically, or as whole as possible, in the world in which we live.

 8/11/95

 * Index

 * Time Capsule essay on culture with an introduction to the art of Philip E. Harding (1997).

 * Resume ( 1997 ).

 * Nuclear Reliquary project proposal ( 1996 )

 * Arto-biography ( 1994 )

 * Mythologizing Life essay ( 1994 )

 * Common Currency (1996)

 * Virtual Art Gallery ( under construction )