Project 4: Architecture Relief

Artist Statement:

For this project I picked my two favorite architecture time periods, Neoclassical and Modern. I found inspiration in how the two provided such stark contract, one being very detail orientated and the other very minimalistic relying on strong line and shape for design. This project was very interesting to me because I was able to incorporate the parts I liked most evidently from both time periods. The foam board was my favorite material used for this project and I found it easier to manipulate than the paper surprisingly--based on the idea that the foam board held its shape much better and looked much more structured which was the look that I wanted to achieve. My final composition was very whimsical to me, it maintained the stolid aspects of Neoclassical architecture while improvising elements with hard lines and shapes adding to the Modern architecture. The overall composition worked well for me, however one of the drawbacks I found difficult was having to use all of the required materials. I relied so heavily on the foam board and push pins that adding other materials always felt somewhat foreign. If I were to do this project again I think I would figure out a way to maintain the structure while improvising these materials in different ways that would capitalize on them instead of making them seem like an additional sidelined aspect.

Time Period Inspiration:

Neoclassical

Modern

In Process:

Final Composition Mounted on Wall:

Reflection of Janine Antoni's work, "Lick and Lather"

Janine Antoni’s work Lick and Lather is significant because it demonstrates a very personal yet somehow universal love/hate relationship with oneself. How she reflects her internal struggle is very endearing—but yet equally interesting in her decision to cast only busts. These works completely disregard her body—usually the root of so many insecurities, and instead focus solely on her neckline and upwards, completely representative of what Antoni—along with all of us—see of ourselves daily in the mirror. I think her use of materials that are so semi-permanent compliments her personal impressionability whether it be uplifting or deteriorating thoughts towards herself—proving the human perception of oneself to be almost as malleable as the soft soap and chocolate. Her ability to consciously wipe away the chocolate and soap with her form—into her form is representative of building yourself into the person that you ultimately see in the mirror, whether it be insecurity filled or free, but none the less there... and completely you.

Video Link: http://ec2-75-101-145-29.compute-1.amazonaws.com/art21/artists/janine-antoni

Project 2, Part 2: Soap Changes

Artist Statement:

Following the long and tedious carving of these two piglets it was very liberating being able to completely destroy one. The aspect that I enjoyed most about the soap changes was that I was able to put more of myself into this work. During the initial carving phase the only thoughts in my head were already made-up, like I knew what the piglet needed to be and because of that I felt more boxed in to what the sculpture had to be. With the soap changes, this all shifted because the project became much more personal and alive. I had to interact and discover new meaning in this sculpture. This new form made based off a piglet soap sculpture ended up becoming something much more abstract and somewhat goofy. After critique I became more and more aware that my soap destruction sculpture resembled a Pinterest cake recipe gone wrong. In an attempt to embrace this new found form, I decided to mount the sculpture on painted wood resembling a cake stand. To make the 'cake' seem more attached to it's surrounding plate I singed the side wax in an effort to melt it a little onto the stand as if it is a cake that is continuing to melt.

Original Sculpture:

Change 1: Hit with golf club (subtractive)

Change 2: Burn candy corn onto (additive)

Change 3: Behead and chop in half (subtractive)

Change 4: Cook in oven at 275 degrees for 15 minutes (subtractive)

Change 5: Dig crevice with seashells (subtractive)

Change 6: Pour hot wax over (additive)

Change 7: Stick DVD pieces into (additive)

Change 8: Stick noodles in with tin foil balls attached (additive)

Final Solution: Front and Side Angles.

                         

Project 2: Soap Carving

Artist Statement: 

This was the perfect project to follow the masking tape shoe because I kept thinking during the tape shoe how building up an objects has its limitations. What I didn't know then was that carving soap has very difficult limitations too. The biggest struggle that I noticed with this project was getting overzealous. The soap carves away so easily that sometimes as an artist I lost my visual on how much I actually didn't need to carve in the beginning. What saved me on this project was using the banning wheel in order to make sure I wasn't carving to much away too soon. It also allowed me to begin seeing the negative shapes which altered the way I tackled the project. After my first carving I found that I worked to hard to create the pig instead of the shapes around it, and because of this my second carving ended up being the more successful. 

In process photos:

Final Compositions:

 Rear

 Front

 Top

Project 1: Tape Shoes

Artist Statement:

Often times we overlook the objects we need everyday. The details and shapes that make each object completely disappear in our minds realm and we take for granted the particular object. Creating a pair of tape shoes was one of the more challenging projects I've ever completed because of how much I take shoes for granted. In the early workings of this project, when I completed my paper mock-up, it was clear that I had little to no understanding of the inner workings of shoes. Having to really struggle through the framework allowed me to finally gain footing.. (ha ha) on this project as I began finding each structural point to the shoe instead of looking at it as a whole. I found the tape a very mean spirited material to work with because although you would always subtract and manipulate there seemed to always be layers that stuck out more than others or creases. After giving this project all of my effort, thought and consideration, I don't think I will ever look at a tennis shoe the same way.


Initial paper Model:

 

Tape Shoe Beginning:

Tape Shoe Progress:

Side View

Upper view

Upper-Rear View

Detailed View

Final Tape Shoe Composition: