My supporting works are more the results of the WetLab workshops rather than supporting pieces to my installation. I decided to name my installation ‘boxing out’, as the comparison between the wall piece ans a map has been made to me. This idea has stuck in my mind, and along with the work reaching outwards, I thought of ‘mapping out’. This didn’t feel right, so I went with ‘boxing out’. This is half-literal, as the cardboard is all from boxes, but also through the breaking out of being ‘boxed in’.
While I focused on the verb ‘layering’ for the majority of my work, this piece was an exception I had to keep in. This piece was easy to create, simply made by ‘twisting’ clay, firing it, and glazing it black, but it still has its own impact on me. It makes me think of what my installation would have looked like if I had focused on a different verb, although I am very pleased with the work created around layering.
I owe a lot to this piece, as it inspired every single subsequent piece. It would be interesting to keep this work ever-growing, getting to the point when I am pinning boxes over boxes, merging together into one large thing that has grown too large for it’s own self. The color and texture of cardboard has been something I really enjoyed working with, as the range of colors and finishes it offers up leads to depth of tones without me having to do much.
Working with plaster was new to me before this brief, and although it is relatively simple I do find myself frustrated with how imperfect these pieces came out. This is my own fault, but in hindsight I wish the lines were straighter, more uniform, more structured, but this experience has been one of trail and error. The subtle flecks in the plaster of the larger piece are beautiful, and the flatness seen in the second piece catches my eye. When creating these pieces, I enjoyed the first layer by itself more than the end results, but there is not much I could think of to do with a flat slab of plaster. All this being said, I am pleased I ended up with these on the floor. Along with the concrete, they are rather industrial, an aesthetic I believe has its own clean beauty.
Out of situ, the box sculpture doesn’t lose as much impact as I thought it would. Like the plaster pieces, I give some credit to the concrete floor. The backdrop it creates compliments the vivid orange wonderfully, drawing the comparison between the floor and the concrete surfaces the sculpture often rested on in the accompanying images. This sculpture was a lovely surprise, as I didn’t believe I would enjoy it as much as I do. I give partial credit to the sun, as this piece looks its best when shining outside.