Construction Project Day #23
Referencing the painterly even more than on any other day, I made a simple balancing construction from postal tubes and painted aluminum. The colours reflected in each metal sheet as they were positioned one on top of the other. Levitating on cardboard tubes. The singular mirror laid on the floor makes the work. It allows for a clear reflection of all the aluminum sheets above it.
This sculptural Mondrian-esque arrangement could be added to using different colours at alternative heights. The simplicity of the work is what is most successful about it, in my opinion.
When I first made the work it seemed precarious in the way it was balenced, however, after leaving it in my studio without any interruptions (except for a heavy industrial sewing machine vibrating intermittently above on the next floor) for 2 weeks, as I nipped to Devon for a holiday in that time, it was surprisingly still standing on my return. Testament to the strength of the second hand postal tubes.
‘The Language of Mixed-Media Sculpture’ Book
My practice is discussed at length in this new survey of mixed-media sculpture, alongside several colour images of my recent installation work.
The Language of Mixed-Media Sculpture by Jac Scott will be published on the 10th May 2014 by Crowood Press.
The Language of Mixed-Media Sculpture is both a survey and a celebration of contemporary approaches to sculptures that are formed from more than one material. It profiles the discipline in all its expanded forms and recognizes sculpture in the twenty-first century not as something solid and static, but rather as a fluid interface in material, time and space.
Topics covered:
It gives insightful revelations of the creative journeys of ten renowned sculptors
Useful technical information on a myriad of processes and materials
Twenty-eight international sculptors showcasedInspiring imagery with over 200 colour photographs
Have a sneak peek at the book here: http://issuu.com/jacscottsculpture/docs/lmms_sample
Construction Project Day #22
The question at the back of my mind yesterday was ‘could I have the same effect without a light bulb?’
Depending of how you position the aluminum sheets, the strength of hue and colous of paint you use and ultimately the whiteness of the wall behind; you can achieve a successful, be it more subtle, delivery of this idea.
I know for certain that it would not have worked if one of the sheets had of remained blue.
It would not have worked if the wall behind hadn’t of been painted bright white.
It would of helped if the floor had of been reflective or painted fresh either light grey or white.
It might have helped if the metal sheets were larger (this would of also made a bigger impact on the space).
So many aspects contribute to the success of an idea that result in a work. This piece certainly demonstrates the painterly within my practice, without the need for electricity. This is somewhat of a breakthrough and a line of inquiry that I would like to explore further.
What this space. I am becoming brave!
Construction Project Day #21
Even thought I switched the lights completely out yesterday, I have re-introduced just one for today. Not because I feel totally attached, but because I thought that the one white striplight may add something to the work as help emphasis the colour behind the aluminum sheets.
I was right. Without the white light behind, the painted colour on the metal did not shine; it was barely noticeable. However, with the white light, the colour reflected onto the white wall they were propped up against and started to saturate the surrounding space.
Using aluminum sheets (found in my planchest – given to me a long time and NEVER used) was a delight. I had been toying with the idea of using them for a while and never found a solution or reasonable idea. They share the same industrial quality as other materials I have used in previous work, but also have a gorgeous reflective nature which isn’t as sharp as in a mirror. That slightly blurred reflection in the aluminium offers an insight, highlighting elements of the surrounding space, but without detail.
I have them in the shape and size that they were given to me in. Someone else already made that aesthetic and formal decision. I am happy with that limit for now, at least all three are identical. If I were choosing the size for new work now, the choice would certainly be different.
Whilst fabricating this idea, I painted the back of the metal different colours. I originally had blue, yellow and green – thinking about how the two primary colours (yellow and blue) made the secondary (green) as I wanted to see if the colours mixed in light as well as in pigment. After testing, I found out that the blue paint was perhaps too dark and offered no reflection onto the wall. The lighter colours suited this idea better, hence painting over the blue with orange.
Construction Project Day #20
Today I unplugged my lights… and it wasn’t a disaster!
After seeing the work of fellow North-West based artist Joe Fletcher Orr some time ago (based in Liverpool at the Royal Standard), I had been inspired to take a different approach to elements of my own practice, especially in the use of light. He has made works with light previously as well as without; referencing colour and the use of found objects in space.
Within my Construction project, like with Joe’s work, I am positioning objects (always found in my studio environment) and making new forms and arrangements from them.
Last year when I was about to embark on a six-month funded period of new work, I turned to the new work of my old fav David Batchelor and his works-on-paper, in order to inspire new methods of working. This in turn helped me produce a body of work that started out similar to his, but the final outcome was not. I am always looking for inspiration, this time it comes from Joe.
For this work I thought about the illusion of paint on the wall as if being light from behind a sheet of paper. This paper was propped to the wall with a length of found timber. The tension between the ‘paper’ and the timber was tangible, but playful at the same time.
Later on in the day I attempted to use other lengths against the wall including rolled paper (which offered an addition fragility to the work) and light bulbs (a reference to the illusion of coloured light saturation from behind the paper on the wall).
Without the use of light, the future of my work has some great possibilities in terms of considering what shapes and objects could/would convey when thinking about my interests in the purity of colour.
