Moon Nibbler: The Art of Pat Strakowski

by Andrew Oko
Photography by John W. Heintz

Pat Strakowski, working over a period of approximately three decades, has produced a body of totally original work that is unique when measured against almost any artistic or cultural standard. Her sculptures – created from papier-maché adorned by found objects as varied as ancient Japanese coins, Mexican ceremonial trinkets and wasps’ nests from the local neighbourhood – have few parallels in any artistic tradition.

Strange creatures abound in the artistic world of Pat Strakowski. Warriors sprout deer horns to enhance their communication with the gods. Cats with serpent tails guard the household, lurking beneath the staircase to attack intruders. Deformed angels mourn the agonies of war. A young girl, suspended perpetually in mid-air, performs timeless skipping rituals. A birdlike creature, screaming in anguish, removes its own head – but maybe it’s not in anguish after all; perhaps it’s all about imagination pondering freedom from heavy loads.

By placing Strakowski’s work in the perspective of myth in the contemporary world, Andrew Oko has developed insights that would not be possible simply by observing the sculptures by themselves, without reference points. Drawing on the ideas of thinkers as diverse as Roland Barthes, Jacques Derrida and Aldona Jonaitis, Oko has created a framework that greatly enhances even a casual appreciation of the art underlying the art of Pat Strakowski.

Complementing Oko’s study and analysis, the sensitive photographs taken by John W. Heintz constitute an innovative pictorial study that is a creative achievement in its own right.