Hands

Artist's Statement:
The idea behind this project came from the pose i decided to cast my hands in. When I was casting my hands in plaster, I twisted them up like I do when I'm nervous or worried. This inspired me to think of nerve racking or anxious situations that I might use to expand on my hand from. One situation that I came up with was a waiting room. I thought of this because depending on the waiting room, this can be a very nerve racking situation. I also wanted to play with the idea of time, and how that can be anxiety inducing.
When it came to expanding my hand, I wanted to stick with the base material, and use only plaster. I used the plaster a bit like sand on the beach, dripping it to form chairs and forms the way that you drip a sand castle. I then used a tool to carve it more precisely to the shape that I wanted, and use india ink to outline them and add details. I really wanted to use plaster because I wanted the expanded region to still be connected fundamentally to the hand, as if this situation had grown out of the hand, and they were essential to the situation and would not be separated from it.
While initially the scene depicted a waiting room, I discussed with one of my teachers, and writing waiting room seemed a bit on the nose. I briefly entertained the idea of writing hospital, or ER, but discarded it. While I was in the detail process, is when it came to me. I wrote reception, because that is a word that can have multiple meanings. Who is receiving who? when do the guests leave? is it a somber occasion, or a cause of celebration? the people depicted in the scene initially started out as a mistake. but then I decided to amp it up.
The two figures could be ghosts, and this could be a funeral.
or the two figures could be crossed lovers, at a a doomed wedding celebration.
Either way, there is a sense of time running out, and a loved ones hand torn out of yours too soon.