I was two Bobs

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Artist: Steve Donegan

Title: I was two Bobs

Attribution: I was two Bobs

Year: 2020

Materials: cotton jacquard, wood and copper

Dimensions: 22.75 x 23.75 x 2.75

Image Statement: For most of my life I believed my family were Indigenous & French settlers from Canada, it wasn’t until several years ago that I discovered through a genetic test that this history was the strange invention of my parents. That genetic test indicated my family hailed from North Africa and Southern Italy. The discovery of this sent me down a rabbit hole to find even more fantastic fabrications. In most instances people have no reason to fact check their family history especially when the family agrees on it, and so these layers become who you think you are. This series which is in progress, begins with “Who do I think I am”, “Broken Pickets” and “I was two Bobs”. These are my personal metaphors indicating that something here isn’t quite right. After first doing a genealogical search it appeared that the family truth was imagined, but what led them to this remains a mystery to me. The somewhat disruptive beauty of the work holds the viewer, a need for interpretation leads to a deeper look as I continue to dig through history.