COLETTE HOSMER is a contemporary naturalist who is celebrated internationally for her outdoor sculptures and installation work with organic materials. Hosmer’s work has been exhibited in prestigious museums throughout the world. Her work is among the permanent collections of the City of Xiamen, China Tianjin, China; City of Yanqing, China; New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM; The Albuquerque Museum - Albuquerque, NM: The Eitlejorg Museum, Indianapolis, IN and Contemporary Artspace - Potsdam, Germany.

ABOUT | MAD COW 2009
Within my latest body of work, the individual pieces are spin-offs of a bipedal, life-size cow skeleton. “Tibetan Cow Skull with Cow Mask” is one of a group of three pieces – identical, wall-mounted skulls. One cow is wearing a cow mask, one a fish mask, and another, a pig mask. These three pieces are intended to reinforce the fact that we are all more alike than different…the masks are interchangeable. A centimeter under the surface of the skin, all mammals are virtually identical. Microscopically, all living things are composed of the same materials. The masked skulls also reference the current global flu pandemic, and images of people wearing protective masks. One can envision domesticated animals protecting themselves from us by wearing masks. Initially, these pieces provoke humor but my deeper intentions are cautionary; We raise “food” animals in impossibly unnatural conditions – massive Petri dishes that breed viral and E. coli outbreaks. This show is a thematic continuation of last year’s exhibition, “Hungry Ghost,” namely, our lost connection to food sources.

ABOUT | THE HUNGRY GHOST 2008
"Hosmer's work in this exhibit causes a tingle in the tummy, a whisper in the ear that can't be ignored. Pay attention: That's the hungry ghost." * --Hollis Walker, Santa Fe Journal 7/4/08

This 2008 exhibition presented the cow, elk, fish, duck and pig as sustenance at its source and explored the many levels of meaning invested in a meal.
Throughout history, cultures have infused the rituals of sustenance with heavy layers of symbolism. Practices that help raise awareness and appreciation, such as fasting and feasting, have been part of religious holidays across cultures and throughout history. Some cultures offer food to their deceased ancestors. Buddhists leave food in their temples. If we treated these exchanges as the gifts they really are, we would elevate the ordinary into the extraordinary. So what does it mean when this food is so processed as to be totally unrecognizable, and so stripped of its ability to nourish that it can't sustain healthy human life? We know our misuse of food is doing damage to our physical selves but is that misuse also causing spiritual damage? Are we becoming less holy and more hollow? Are we hungry ghosts?

*A "hungry ghost" is a type of ghost associated with hunger common to many religions. Some believe that the ghosts of their ancestors return to their houses at a certain time of the year, hungry and ready to eat. A festival is held for the hungry ancestor ghosts and food and drink is put out to satisfy their needs.