Hummelland or Small Acts of Resistance places Hummel figurines in fantastical compositions free from their normalized cultural context such as the curio-cabinet, mantlepiece, or as objects of kitsch. Interested in the mindset of the collector and the historical enthusiasms surrounding porcelain, artist Rachel Sydlowski investigates the origins of Hummel figurines. The experiential synthesis of viewing Hummel collections in private homes and the novel Utz by the British writer Bruce Chatwin guided this collection of digital collages that recontextualize porcelain figurines in quixotic dreamscapes with saturated colors, sacred geometry, lush gardens, and forests.

Behind the cheerful uncanniness of these nostalgic collectibles hides a complex history of faith, rebellion, and hope. Hummels are the invention of Sister Maria Innoctia Hummel, a German nun who initially drew the ire of Adolf Hitler in 1933 for her painting The Volunteers. She continued incorporating imagery like the Star of David into her drawings and figurines until her order was forcibly closed. The artist comments, “I find Hummels both intriguing and repelling. They seem strange in their sweet and overly optimistic poses. I imagine each figurine has an intricate backstory, a personal history, and a contextual history as an object of material culture. I wanted to know more about the conditions that supported the manufacture of these fanciful figurines in an enduring material like porcelain. The Hummel collection and the book Utz by Bruce Chatwin share some commonalities. Utz is the story of a mad collector, his obsession with porcelain intertwined with the myth of the Golem set in post-war Europe. Like M.I. Hummel, who rebelled through kitsch and craft, the fictional character Utz is a bit of a rebel too, but in a completely different way. He refuses to relinquish his priceless collection of Meissen figurines to a totalitarian state. He goes to comically absurd lengths to protect the Meissen figurines by creating a sanctuary for the collection within his cramped apartment. The explicit Hummel collection and the imaginary or implicit Meissen collection of Utz speak to the alchemical qualities of the porcelain figurine. I construct fabulist landscapes and alternate realities for these objects through digital renderings. Additionally, Utz and Hummel figurines sublimate objects of kitsch into acts of rebellion, which is incredibly interesting since the objects seem utterly benign in their static state.”

Dissemination of Hummels into the homes of thousands of collectors globally was a collective gesture for post-war peace, even while the uncommon circumstances of the maker were in a perpetual state of erasure. Ultimately the sublimation of porcelain kitsch objects in this exhibition is a re-examination of small acts of rebellion and dissent. Resistance exists in many forms including joy, folly, and idealism.