7

Lu VAlena

Did you have previous associations with this number before making this work?

Absolutely. A lot of people see seven as a lucky number, and I’m no exception. My birthday is July 7 (7/7), so it’s always had a special place in my heart. Especially since I was born a month early- it’s like I really really wanted to be born on that particular day. This year I also learned that the number 7 is associated with the Greek god Apollo, who was also said to have been born on the seventh day of the seventh month. And because I associate Apollo with gold, that really made me want to gold-leaf something for this project.

What inspired you to make this piece?

I was thinking about the idea of a lucky number, and thinking about other things that are lucky. That led me to think about the idea of a lucky rabbit’s foot. We’re pretty superstitious in my house about making sure to say ‘Rabbit Rabbit’ first thing on the first day of each month, to make sure we have a lucky month. Also, because of the pandemic, rabbits have been steadily taking over my neighborhood this year. I see them all the time, and it always feels like an auspicious sign. So rabbits are definitely associated with luck as far as I’m concerned.

When I did a little research about the lucky rabbit’s foot, I found some amazing silver-mounted specimens from the Victorian era. I decided to draw on the idea of Apollo and gold and recreate one (with faux fur, of course).

Aside from a response to this number, what does the work say to you now that you've made it?

It is much more dramatic than I expected it to be. During my research, I found the quote by R. E. Shay: "Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit." This really cuts to the core of a lot of my feelings about our society, and the blind eye we’re willing to turn to get what we want.

Looking at it now, the rabbit appears to be just holding on by it’s teeth, which also feels relatable in the year 2020. Whew- this got a lot heavier than I expected it to get. I guess I have a lot of feelings about these things, just like everyone else. The good news is that no animals were harmed in the making of this piece (unless you count my cat’s hurt feelings because I won’t let him play with it).

Lu Valena is an artist and researcher who is endlessly fascinated with the space in between. They are the executive director of Bait/Switch, make lots of different kinds of things, study food history, and coach creative people who want to start businesses. They live with their amazing husband John and enormous cat Tiny Henry in Jamaica Plain, MA.