Sculpture
Resolved One: Soft Sculpture
This work was created using a combination of three animals, mythical or real to create a Frankenstein sculpture which utilised an element of each chosen animal, as well as a talisman to protect the creature. Having a mermaid’s tail, fishes gills and scales with a human head this work combined the three to create a guardian of the sea. Playing an important role, to protect and defend our oceans from the threat humanity posed.
This work utilised a range of techniques to create the final piece, with a machine sewed tail, gills and bodice. Hand stitching was utilised for the more intricated elements of the sculpture, when attaching the bodice to tail, and arms to bodice; also utilised when attaching beaded strands and wool to create hair. Bodice adornments were created using watered down acrylic paint and lino-cut prints of scales were applied with fabric printing ink. The woven basket talisman was created using a traditional wrap weaving technique using bunches of thin strands of raffia, once completed it was filled with sea shells, tying her human history and mythical present.
Resolved Two: Wearable Sculpture
This piece, the Duality of Femineity, was created to show the juxtaposing elements of a woman’s life; the urge to restrict oneself through doing what your told, being ‘lady-like’, appealing to the male gaze and living a performative life. Versus the urge to let go, to be uncontrollable and un-apologetically so, to be broken, ugly, and ultimately completely yourself.
This dress embodies this story, the tight, crisp and restrictive corset representing the former, while the flowing, jagged skirt exhibits the latter. These meanings are assured through the use of intentional materials, the corset being made from velvet and silk which represent luxury, sophistication and high class living, things little girls are sought to strive for, being fed stories of knights in shining armour and helpless maidens, instead of capable maidens who don’t actually need a knight.
This skirt was made using scrap materials, some found and some pulled from my own fairy princess costumes, but all intentionally used to represent different experiences in my life which shaped me as a woman. Tulle was used to embody my younger years, the time of freedom and play. Lace was used to represent my struggles with sexuality, darker colours representing darker experiences which had deeper effects than most positive ones. Leather was used to represent growing thicker skin, learning how to move past the harsh comments and inappropriate critiques.
Despite these materials opposing each other in many ways they form a harmonious whole once all together, showing that a woman is an amalgamation of her lived experience, the good, the bad and the ugly.