Rose B. Simpson

Turn

The seated figure in Turn is inscribed with “x” and “+” symbols. The “+,” a star, represents direction, while the “x” markings represent protection from negative forces. In Simpson’s Santa Clara Pueblo culture, clay is an ancestral material grounded in its physical and spiritual origins. Her relationship with clay is embedded in memories of her parents, also artists. Simpson uses metal as a material reflective of the modern world. Here, steel supports the resting clay figure. Simpson often creates self-portraits, and the way clay and metal are used in Turn could signify the relationship she holds with them and with parts of herself. The broken clay pieces, one of which the figure holds up to the viewer, may reflect the artist’s philosophy on the importance of self-love and the fragile nature of being.