1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this series of work.
Dennis McNett: I’ve been doing installations, large sculptures and print covered projects for several years. Several people started asking about buying panels from the Viking ships or elements from the installations. These sculptures are too large, unattainable, or they simply liked what was happening when the pattern collided with the images. So I took the collaged patterns and single graphic images people were asking about and created a body of work that was more accessible.
1xRun: Was this series part of a recent theme or show that you had? If so how did it fit into that given grouping?
Dennis McNett: When I started making these panels, I created quite a few because I wanted room to experiment with my library of patterns and images. Some of them didn’t make the cut, but the ones that did, I started to show when I had exhibitions. When I have down time, I usually make more and try different things with them.
1xRUN: What materials were used to create this series with?
Dennis McNett: These are wood panels or discs that are covered/collaged in patterned block prints. The images are then screened onto the surface with a thick, enamel based ink.
1xRun: When was this series of work created?
Dennis McNett: These are all created mostly between 2013 to 2015. These were some of the ones that made the move with me from Brooklyn to Houston.
1xRun: How long did this series take to complete?
Dennis McNett: I always tell people it’s a weird question when they ask how long it takes to do a carving or create what I make. It took years of carving woodblocks to generate all the different patterns and images, it took more years of experimenting with collaging and applying the print medium in different ways to make it work/look the way it does and it took years of printing to get them to print sharp/clean. Taking all that into consideration, it took a few days to build the panels or prepare the discs, a week or so to college the surfaces and a couple of days to get the enamel ink to print right on the surface.
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about your process and how the idea and execution comes about for your work?
Dennis McNett: Every line on everything I make was first carved with a 4.5mm V-notch chisel, whether it is a woodcarving, pattern or print. Since 2006, I have created my own mythology soup revolving around the Wolfbat.
1xRun: What do you feel is unique about this series of work?
Dennis McNett: It is hand done, my own images, it’s a contemporary application to a very old medium and there is a story or mythology behind the characters.
1xRun: Describe this series in one gut reaction word.
Dennis McNett: Kinetic.
1xRun: Where did the story of Wolfbat originate from?
Dennis McNett: There is a Nordic tale of a giant wolf called Fenris. He was one of three children of Loki and a Giantess. The gods had a premonition that Fenris would one day kill Odin, so they bound him and put him beneath the earth. (now I have always had an affection for wolves so, I was reading the story differently than intended and didn’t see why the wolf had to be bound….he was just hanging out being a wolf) During Ragnarok, the battle between the gods and giants, Fenris breaks his bonds, hunts down Odin on the battlefield and devours him. (In my mind he asked for it) Odin’s son then kills the Wolf. I didn’t like that ending so I rewrote it.
You see Fenris had a sister named Hel that was one of the only characters in Nordic mythology with the power of resurrection. So I wrote that she retreated to the underworld once she saw the world being destroyed from the battle and when the fires burned down she resurfaced to find her brother Fenris. When she found him, his body was maimed and all that remained was his head. She crossed her brother’s head with the wings of a bat and resurrected him, so he could fly the earth and destroy the gods. I kind of saw the gods as banks, corporations, etc… and giants as free people/thinkers… Ever since the Resurrection of Fenris performance I did in NYC in 2006, I have been making up Wolfbat tales, imagery and artifacts. I could babble about this for a while with tons of explanation, but this answer is already getting very long.
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about the mythology behind your work and where that influence comes from?
Dennis McNett: A lot of my love for story telling and mythology comes from Star Wars growing up. I thought this was ridiculous to say out loud until I read a few things where Joseph Campbell and David Lynch mentioned the influence. There’s heavy mythology, old religion, good vs. evil, strong characters, the past future, etc…. it’s rich.
1xRun: Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share?
Dennis McNett: I just finished a residency in Shreveport ending in a big installation and have an exhibition at the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art next. After that I have another residency in Wisconsin and there’s a potential project brewing in Brooklyn.
1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Dennis McNett: Website – Instagram@wolfbat
-1xRUN