Fibre & Form

I have decided to use Fibre & Form as my working title for FMP, I feel that this encompasses the areas I want to focus on, without giving myself too many guidelines.

I knew that I wanted to respond to this project through sculpture but was unsure as to what that would actually look like. As a result of my research I have decided on a few avenues to explore. I will be looking at a fusion of textiles/fibres with sculptural mediums such as ceramics and plaster, focusing on dipping, saturating and casting. I am particularly focused on form and composition, I want my work to feel organic and effortless in these areas. I found a quote pertaining to the work of Eva Hesse which encompasses my intended aesthetic:

     she made work that hung, draped, dangled, looped, drooped, slumped, webbed, … spilled or just lay on the floor. (Glueck, 2017)

With this aesthetic in mind I have been considering the use of rope, string and hessian mesh. I will explore loose woven structures, knitting, crochet and knotting, with the specific intention for dipping these and controlling the composition and form as they dry. I will also explore the possibility for firing items dipped in slip resulting in intricate hollow structures.

Dana Barnes

Eva Hesse

Ruth Asawa

Anthony Foo

Annie Turner

Ernesto Neto

Quote taken from Bringing the Soul Into Minimalism: Eva Hesse. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/arts/design/12hess.html

Fantastic article!

Starting FMP

This week was the first week of the Final Major Project. After introducing the project with a presentation, it was up to us to find a starting point through research and contextual reference. I looked over a number of books including Sculpture Today (Collins, 2007) and Raw+Material=Art (Manco, 2012) before taking to the internet for inspiration. As usual Pinterest was my first stop.

My Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/abbie020896/

I knew that I wanted to create something sculptural, I also assumed that textiles would feature in some capacity. While researching I came across the work of Ruth Asawa, who creates large wire mesh sculptures, focusing on form and transparency. I was drawn to the fluid organic shapes and the way that her pieces hung seemingly without weight.

I also came across Susan Baellor-Snyder, an American artist who uses manila rope to make woven, tangled wall hangings. Alisa Dworsky creates installations using nets, focusing on tension and counterweight as a theme. Finally, Andrew Kudless who uses fabric casting as a sculptural technique. I also felt that Eva Hesse would be a relevant artist reference, specifically her textile based works.

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