Consume or Die

Again, I'm trying to simplify my ideas. 

I made this one with the "consume or die" mantra in mind. 

I wanted to convey how we can sometimes put to much value on things that aren't really important that we buy into the consumerist ideals too much in life. 

I kept the box I made, white so the viewer is not distracted by what I wanted 

to show. I used a strip of yellow ( which can give a feeling of joy and hope to some people) and a strip of black ( can give a feeling of death or the unknown) to  create a juxtaposition between the two emotions. I also feel that it makes the sculpture stand out more. 

I used a Jean Paul Gaultier bottle in the shape of a muscular mans upper/middle body as I feel that it glorifies one of the consumerist ideas that if you wear this aftershave you will become more desirable like the bottle. I then painted the bottle (and used a manikin head for the skull) to create the skeleton and scratched into the paint with my finger nails making it less desirable as if the flaking paint is stripping away the 'beauty' to reveal ones true self that we will all become. Also the appearance of the distressed paint reminds me of body paint that has become wet revealing the true person underneath. 

I used a broken comb as 'wings' to emphasise that we almost idol worship our materlistic needs. If we buy things it will make us feel more complete (an angel being a symbol of divinity) 

Also I used the comb as I had bought it and probably paid too much for such a thing only to discover it had snapped in my bag one day. It reminds me to not buy such things that I don't really need myself. Also written across it was "lifestyle elegance" which I thought pretty much sums up what I'm trying to convey about putting that on such a thing as a comb. 

Neither one particularly appeals to me

   

  I tried to simplify this piece as the last piece I made could be considered 'busy' 

I used smiths lyrics again from the song 'nowhere fast' 

"I think about life and I think about death 

And neither one particularly appeals to me' 

"A fabulous line that describes how I feel sometimes. I may be bored with life but I certainly don't want to be dead. I think that line really sums up how apathetic one can get about life" 

That was a quote from 'All Men Have Secrets' that I felt really summed up how I feel about the lyrics I chose. 

I also used a bottle containing pills/vitamin tablets and skull heads to show the duality of the life and death line in the lyrics. 

    For this piece I tried to use more symbolism. I used images from various well known paintings with 'Christina's world' by Andrew Wyeth being split into three sections. The helpless woman in the vast field looks frail and appears to be facing towards the house. I put a wire 'fence' over that section to convey that that is no longer an option for her. The other section with the barn, I painted small grave stones to hint that this is the woman's only fate. 

The Essential Joseph Cornell

I got this book the other day "The Essential Joseph Cornell" by Ingrid Schaffner. I've yet to read it but looking through the pictures of his work really inspires me. Since my sculpture teacher recommended looking at his work after her seeing mine, I think I've found my 'favourite' artist. I love the 'found' materials that he uses and how he puts them together to create little scenes/worlds within boxes. Something seen as disposable and throwaway is transformed into wonderful works of art 

    Medici slot machine. 1942 stained hinged wood box with glass pane containing painted glass, metal jacks, photographs, printed papers, wood cubes, wrapped in printed and coloured metal, papers, glass and wood marbles, wood game pieces, mirrors, and compass mechanism. 

15 1/2 x 12 1/4 x 4/38" The Menil collection Houston. 

What I want to portray to the viewers

   In my studio space I put up some of the work I've been doing and put the smiths lyrics above it.

I used letters/words from out of a newspaper in the 'ransom note' style I did this to make the words appear anonymous, just like the long forgotten people in the photographs. 

In my drawing crit, a few of the group interpreted my work in different ways.

Some found it "creepy" others found it "humorous" while a few found it poignant and understood what I was trying to get across.

I fear that death as I've touched upon earlier that it is wide open to different interpretations. My lecturerer, when asked for my turn to say things about my work stated that I put my reasons across very well. Perhaps I should focus more on how I want to get my work across. 

The group also saw the bibles I've been working on and suggested that I could develop more of the photos " within boxes etc" 

    To display the bibles I decided to use glass plates so they can hang like picture frames.