Tim Hawkinson in Flash Art

Hawkinson, who generally avoids lecturing or giving interviews, when occasionally commenting on the work, sidesteps interpretation, and instead sticks to discussions of objects, gizmos and materials. On the rare occasions when he comments on the genesis of a works, Hawkinson usually cites a preoccupation with the properties of an object, an interest in creating and then utilizing a particular type of machine, or a desire to find a way to emulate phenomena or model a principle. But along the way, he produces works that are rich in implications pertaining to mortality, vulnerability, spirituality, perception and the desire for knowledge or understanding. Implication is a key word here because Hawkinson’s works, which tend to disarm with their oddity and humor, don’t hit their viewers with assertive messages, and it’s quite likely that multiple viewers might come away with very different takes on them, but often the concerns imbedded in those takes will suggest a common denominator of deeply human interest.