Five Fables of Aesop is Mitchell’s latest manifestation of storytelling across cultures. Each fable integrates the carved object and its relationship to myth-making across the Americas and the importance of the influence of African culture. Coupled with his ongoing research into storytelling is an interest in animal symbology and its possible utility in contemporary culture. Throughout history animals have been seen as possessive of a different kind of knowledge and awareness than humans. There is no better place to explore this than in Mexico. With the aid of woodcrafters in Mexico, Mitchell will be creating objects that average three and one-half to four feet in height and two feet in diameter, with surfaces that may contain text or patination pertinent to the story or its relevance to contemporary life.

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Tyrone Mitchell has travelled throughout Mexico, India, Europe, and West Africa. He is a recipient of the Guggenheim, Readers Digest at Giverny, and MacDowell Colony fellowships, and a recent recipient of an Art Omi Artis in Residence. Mitchell sees himself as reintegrating the practice of stone and woodcarving into his wheelhouse of tapestry, installation, performance, and discreet objects.