1994 - 1995
mixed media
14 x 13 x 4 in.
Collection of the Artist

By representing intimate and often volatile memories, Stout invests considerable emotion in her autobiographical works. Yet, for the most part, the pieces she has created seem the opposite of what one might expect; they are remarkably quiet and self-contained--power under check--suggesting that a part of healing is conquering and gaining control over emotion. This is demonstrated beautifully in The Man of Her Dreams and a Spell to Get Him, an altar inspired by one of Stout's own love interests, mysteriously enshrined in its center. Packaged in a sculpture of Stout's meticulous construction, it is replete with signifiers of a world of great magical possibility. Stout's invented script on the open doors of the altar encodes private dreams and secret ruminations, yet includes two revealing clues, Renée's birth date--1958--and the birth date of her grandmother--1916. The circular blazons are taken from the Jewish kabbalah and are incorporated here for their mystical import. The small wrapped package directly beneath the photograph may be the enactment of Madam Ching's love prescription, and hidden inside it are materials of metonymic possibility.

Using components that are old gives this altar a history, as is true of the photograph of "the man of her dreams" as well as of the background of the central panel. The latter was made from the flattened interior surface of an aerosol can Stout found by the Mississippi River on one of her frequent trips to New Orleans. The can has been empowered by its contact with the River, a place of enchantment from all the "stuff thrown into it and all the spells cast there," such as Stout's own wishing beans and love requests. Additionally, at the top of the work, two crossed frog legs, saved from a meal once shared with "the man of her dreams," signify the crossroads, the site of ultimate potentiality.

From M. Berns, Dear Robert, I'll See You at the Crossroads: A Project by Renée Stout, University Art Museum, UCSB, 1995.

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