The form of the totem pole is narrative in nature. As the sculpture rises, multiple narratives unfold. In the collision, negotiation, and compromises reached between the organic and the inorganic aspects of itself, narratives suggesting entropy, domination, transformation, mortality and the nature of strength are exposed.

Once the resulting half-breed reaches its full mechanical height, the inflatables finally bloom brightly into view in a moment of hybrid ecstasy, and the mechanized lid opens revealing the new growth of an organic stamen. This sign of the fully-mature organism extends further into the sky as if seeking the sun. Taking large inflating breaths, it increases in strength and size. The elaborate organic machine assimilates and conforms to its architectural confines, as if it were using the limited space the building provides to support its own growth - reminding us of a tenacious growing ivy.

After 20 years of practice using robotics, seeking to create metaphors with machines, and emulating the human condition, MacMurtrie's Totemobile is the first of his sculptures that attempts to drastically change the direction his work has taken by engaging popular culture. Totemobile is a hybrid of an iconic symbol of popular culture and the notion of organic aspiration. It is a car that makes a biological journey upward, instead of the culturally and mechanically familiar forward and reverse. In our comfort with cars, we are invited on that journey with Totemobile, reinspiring awe in the nature that has sheltered and conveyed us, long before the appearance of the automobile.

"I chose the Citroën DS, not because of Citroën's sponsorship, but because it is an icon for European cars, and I felt that the live qualities it represented (hydraulic suspensions, organic curvature, and mechanical ingenuity) were emblematic of the time. I also chose the DS because it influenced my Mexican-American low-rider car culture. A low-rider was used by the Latin culture as a medium of expression... converting classic cars with hydraulic suspensions, utilizing elaborate paint jobs, became an art form." —Chico MacMurtrie

• narrative
• installation
• video
• credits