It is time to start thinking about how I am going to exhibit my sculptures for my degree show. My aim is to present a collection of work that reminds viewers of objects that they have previously known in a related form. I want the work to disrupt the familiar comfort zone of what we handle and make use of in our daily lives.
I went to see the Rosemarie Trockel exhibition at the Serpentine to get some ideas.
Trockel’s interest in natural history and in diverse forms of creativity both by trained and self-taught artists and crafts people was brought together in an array of objects. The exhibition provided the opportunity to see how the so called “museum effect” can be used to question our perception of what constitutes art. The viewer is invited to look at objects, such as a crab, out of context. It is to be looked at as an artefact, or in a sense, a work of art. The effect allows for a focus of seeing with respect to form and material.
I went round the exhibition trying to imagine my own objects in place of those exhibited. Some of Trockel’s objects were put on low plinths, and one on a floating plinth. There were large, glass, free-standing cabinets which contained several objects, some on the floor and some on shelves. Some things were recessed into the wall with glass fronts. Yet more were displayed in glass cases that projected from the wall.
I would like to build a false wall in order to make a long recessed shelf. This could accommodate some of the smaller, concrete sculptures. If I can make some perspex display cases to project from the wall, these could be used to show works like my skipping rope. For the larger, very heavy objects I would need a large, low plinth.
I need to make some drawings…
