Coal Mark — Dane Winkler

Coal Mark, 2024

Soil and earthen debris.

4” x 8’ x 8’

This work was part of a 2024 solo show ‘The Hum’ at the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Gallery in Roanoke, Va. The title references an archeological term known as a cropmark. A crop mark is an archeological term that describes a differentiation on the surface of the ground because of something buried underneath it, suggesting a mystery of both natural and person made objects that can’t be seen. A local land conservationist once mentioned there is a coal burning pit in the forest at the farm which I have yet to locate. These were created when the land was clearcut in the early 1800’s - the workers would make a pile of logs, smother it in earth, and do a controlled burn to create coal. This coal was then brought into Troy NY to support a very prolific cast iron industry. The task of digging in the video Plainfin Midshipman can be an attempt to find this site. THe earth dug up in the video is used in this sculpture as well as in Queen Atlantic.

The Hum is an exhibition of sculpture that explores passing time and transformation through reconstruction. The materials and themes for this body of work were sourced from the farmland in upstate New York where I was raised. The gathering and alteration of these materials, both natural and person made - embodies a curiosity about place - looking into the past as well as the future, and my relationship with these sentiments.

In this context the title does not refer to a vocal hum but instead mysterious reports throughout history of a low frequency sound felt in specific locations across the globe. The Hum is a persistent tone only heard by some people in the regions it has been cited. Although the cause of this phenomenon has never been attributed to one thing, researchers have noted mechanical devices, tinnitus, or wildlife as a potential culprit. The title also attempts to speak to a personal observation of nowness. This place has always been an inspiring source throughout my career. Currently, the ethos of the property is changing, which carries with it immense privilege, responsibility, and complexity. Through observing and examining the land and its structure(s) with a new perspective looking forward… a connection is made between its substance and a notion of self. This exhibition asks if the objects of a place become embedded within its history. How can sculpture be used to re-form the physical reality of objects, altering their identity to conjure a new relationship to space? The items utilized are markers of time in relation to my home in distinct ways. This relates conceptually to a few possible explanations of The Hum mentioned above - tones from military low frequency radio waves, or the illuminating mating call of the Plainfin Midshipman fish. The Hum is the sound or essence of this embedded history. Through these experiments utilizing design and architectural folly, the vibration is shaped into a new tone or form. The exploration of personal history in context with the mystery of these events extends to the viewer in this way…. challenging how our bodies and thoughts navigate through space.

The Hum is a sound, a feeling, and a question all at once. This body of work reflects on internal and external ideas about how family, agency, and wonder unite with these concepts.

Artist Talk on the exhibition here