Confrontation
Confrontation
This sculpture is an investigation into making things in the environment and utilises the sense of place. It was built directly on site from available free materials on a farm yard. The materials used are scrap metal, found materials, mud, straw, wire, board and some cement. The figures are made quite crudely and the way they were made is deliberate. The one in the foreground is just a symbolic representation of a person but he angel figure in the background is more animated and defined. It has the slightly bowed stance, showing submission and introspection that I'm trying to include in most of my figures.
The making process is haphazard and organic, almost instinctual and this is a choice: to make the thing evolve as it grows. This is sometimes a dangerous thing to do as the things you make can become clichés but it seems to have worked this time. I was particularly reflective of the environment and the person I was building it for. It ended up being almost clairvoyant - me trying to channel what the other person needed.
Having said that I'm not in the least spiritual but I am intuitive so I think it worked. The representation of an angel, by an atheist is problematic because it ended up being quite literal and iconoclastic but the angel symbol is diluted by the venue and composition of the installation.
This was also an exercise in 'relaxing' my making practise and loosening up my sometimes stiff and purposeful approach. Now, I can say 'I've done it' and can go back to a more controlled approach. Was there learning in this? ... maybe, but I'm not convinced.
