Sculpture Assignment II

 Working with Foam & Plaster

This assignment tested my ability to adapt when things don't go as planned. I started off drawing inspiration from two artists that were listen s reference, Jean Arp and Henry Moore. I really enjoyed their use of shape and negative space. Seeing humanoid forms in their work made me want to incorporate that into my thought process. 

I began with an oil based clay to create a form that resembled a figure in the fetal position, with the intent to build that shape out of foam, cover with plaster and then use objects or perform actions to the wet plaster to create a texture that represents things that overstimulate or overwhelm myself. However, my first interaction working with foam did not go as easily as I had hoped. I found working with the foam, layering and cutting it to make these shapes I needed, very frustrating. I'm sure with more time for trial and error I could've achieved what I intended to yet ironically, I managed to begin feeling overstimulated and overwhelmed with this material and with things not going as planned. To avoid feeling that way any longer I took out that frustration by breaking the shape of foam I had in half.

I decided to go in a direction that would feel fun to make and turn around my feelings towards these materials. I enjoyed two shapes from the original pieces I broke so I covered them in plaster to kind of move in that new direction. Still performed actions to the wet plaster like hard pinching and poking that were originally planned. I then decided to add a third element to the piece that would contrast the first two. I took wire and cut cubes of the foam and attached them to the wire facing different ways while bending the wire in a s shape. 

After covering those with plaster I began thinking about the relationship between the three pieces and how I could use gravity to balance them in an interesting way. Realizing this was a modular piece that could change each time its placed or moved. Having to adapt to gravity and its surroundings or placement I was pleasantly surprised at how the process of making the piece is mimicked in its end result.