The Enigma of Anna Nicole Smith Sculpture

Remade jewelry box--Tabletop sculpture. This piece is a poignant visual meditation upon the life and untimely demise of the celebrity Anna Nicole Smith (ANS). It contains collaged elements: a black and white reproduction of the Winged Victory of Samothrace (wingless) covers one of the door panels, and represents the world of art and entertainment which is really just an illusion. The wing of the reproduction has been removed and attached to the inside of the drawer of the box representing that ANS was a mind controlled victim and was unable to get free from her handlers. The colors, textures and 'shabby chic' decorative elements of the piece are indicative of her life when she was alive, which while appearing glamorous, chic and fun on the surface, was in actuality a veneer thinly covering the depravity and ruthless violence of the forces behind the entertainment world that completely controlled her life as a celebrity. Placed inside the main compartment of the box is a small glass slide with a photo of ANS in clown-faced make up. This element is loose and can be placed anywhere inside the box for display, or kept in the drawer. The image is from video taken of ANS while she was in the mind-controlled alter personality of a young girl. It proves without a doubt that she was the victim of severe mind controlling tactics. This element represents the part of ANS's soul that was taken over by those who were exploiting her -- it is small, but it is a very powerful, deeply affected part. The entire piece is an attempt at the depiction of an enigma-- the part of the soul that was and still remains despite physical nonexistence.