Maddie McFarland

I’ve always had an interest in history and anthropology, and the more knowledgeable I have become about other cultures through U of M courses and interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds I have become aware of the volume of inaccurate stereotypes and racist ideologies present in everyday media or conversation.  A common portrayal of foreign spirituality is through the use of magical practice,  which has been distorted and even villainized by the entertainment media. Practices such as Vodou are commonplace in many facets of entertainment but more often than not, the true practices and cultural significance are completely lost in translation or ignored by dominant, mostly westernized, cultures. My project is a series of woodcuts and a website made to inform and educate people through a mix of fine art and historical research. Each of these hand-printed posters depicts a type of mystical practice. Within the composition, each object represents a certain ritual, artifact, or characteristic of that practice. The prints are accompanied by written explanations of the piece with factual information and research about the culture and rituals themselves. The series of multi-plate block prints are laser engraved and printed on handmade paper with education and respect for the religion in mind.