It is the first week of Semester 2, the first teaching week and the first full week back in the studio (almost full week that is, as I spent Wednesday at the LTA module and Thursday in bed with the cold). This semester I will mainly be working in the studio, writing a dissertation and studying to gain an additional qualification (the LTA module) that will enable me to teach in higher education. I will also be in recovery. I suffered a vertebral compression fracture, which means a broken vertebrae, the force of the accident resulted in my spine jarring and consequently crushing one of the vertebrae resulting in fractures. Needless to say it is very very painful.
Broken spine aside, the MFA continues. I have been back in the studio working on some new sculpture - Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise. This work consists of three sculptures, oversize pots of cleanser, toner and moisturiser. I have been making them in clay, originally with the plan to fire them in the kiln before glazing, but I am considering the option of leaving them unfired. I am utterly seduced by the work of Anna Orton, who in the past has worked with clay, leaving it unfired but painting it with enamel instead, to great success. The other factor in my decision making process, is the scale of the work - I'm not convinced that it will fit in the kiln.
I have another decision to make. I am trying to weigh up the pros and cons of painting/ not painting Swatter. Painting the sculpture would hide the materials - cardboard and resin, and I fear that covering them would remove the honesty of the construction. But, while I was making the work I always intended to paint it and this makes the decision uncomfortable. I'm caught somewhere between Telling The Truth and the desire for glossy plastic Readymade goodness. Sounds like the classic struggle between what you should do and what you want to do...
No comments:
Post a Comment