Jeffrey Sarmiento (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
Fighter, 2007
Blown and enameled glass
44”h x 33”w x 2”d

Fighter is wall mounted and consisting of some 20 white hand-blown, egg-shaped flat roundels. The piece is an assemblage of glass plates overlapping one another, creating a fragmented image of a rooster. What at first glance looks like an innocent barnyard animal gives way to a more complex image as viewers notice that one foot is tethered to the post by blue nylon strapping. The restraint serves not only to prevent the rooster from harming itself with possible nearby rivals, it functions as a visual signifier. This subtle clue reveals that there is a “barbaric” or “savage” spectator event about to unfold, or not, depending on the cultural vantage point. In the countries of South East Asia and the Pacific Islands cock fighting is a cultural pastime that is passed down from father to son as a rite of passage, though Sarmiento clearly understands it as a culturally specific activity.

The story of the rooster can be found in Jeffrey Sarmiento’s exhibition catalog.

More information on Jeffrey Sarmiento

Jeffrey Sarmiento’s Resume

Jeffrey Sarmiento’s Statement

Available Work