About Susan
Susan Bercu
Art as Story
Process
I trust the process that the seed of an idea will take shape. As an investigator digging into ideas, I embrace the unique challenges of each new artwork. It's not relaxing for me to make art. I respond to the ache in my belly that internalizes the injustices, the cruelty, the dangers.
The narrative leads me through a range of media that includes drawings, paintings, and three-dimensional structures. In my assemblages, I use recycled materials in response to our choking consumerism. I “go for broke”, seeming to eschew my classical art education. Yet, the rigor is there even when combining the most divergent materials. The hunt for cast-offs is essential in my process. Since each artwork differs structurally, I must be dexterous. So, I use the try this/try that method. I may tape elements together then photograph the evolving work to scrutinize it before applying permanent adhesives. My pencil sketches help keep me on track.
Please scroll down to see process for the artworks pictured above.
Too Late for Superheroes
Wall triptych represents death of our planet abetted by greed and anti-science magical thinking. Paper-mâché, found maps, toys.
Materials (clockwise)
1. Doll body 2. Doll limbs, flora, painted 3. Animal necklace 4. toys
“Lady Liberty” (detail) Artist’s wood mannequin, tulle, wire.
Wendy and Michael
Wall assemblage. Driftwood, wood objects, obsidian, metal, string, paint.
Build basic driftwood structure.
(Left) Choose obsidian arrowhead fragment for eye.
(Right, detail) Tribal wood head, driftwood profile with obsidian fragment for eye
Bible Bitches
Wall assemblage constructed from Gideon bible. Calls out plethora of anti-women verses that subjugate, punish, demand women breed.
(Clockwise) 1. Bible verses
2. Multicultural dolls 3. Doll head set in rose made from bible pages 4. Bible pages used for Paper-mâché head; cover wood base.
Reproduction from Genesis 3:16
Eve punished for sin of eating forbidden fruit is the basis for anti-women laws that are surging today.
1. Breed 2. Suffer pain of childbirth
3. Desire husband 4. Obey husband
The Great Wave
After Katsushika Hokusai, my interpretation is a dying sea polluted by wars and trash.
Acrylic underpainting copied from Hokusai’s woodcut.
Adhering plastic scrap, bubble wrap, gloves, sponges, toys, gloves; bullet shells, tacks, tulle to wood-backed canvas panel.
(Detail) Mt. Fuji with recycle symbols, plastic toy human skull, sponges, bullet cases.
Host of Plagues
Wall mask created at onset of COVID. Title has double thrust:
A plague needs a host to thrive; the human host has tools of science to conquer this plague.
(Clockwise) 1. Glue bamboo bowl on wood frame 2. Select materials 3. Paint wood snake and critters. Create COVID knots 4. Cover bowl face with lace. Glue objects onto frame.
Bed of Roses
Wall mask on shield expresses solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Roses/leaves created from newspapers reporting protests of police brutality.
(Clockwise) 1. Newspapers
2. Paper mâché face 3. Roses construction 4. Face on paper bag-covered wood shield with primed sword and found butterfly wings.