Place I
220cms or 84 cms high
In polished stainless, the viewer stands in front of the sculpture. The viewer stands looking at herself within her immediate surroundings. Then a space, a circular gap in the reflection, another space. Within it stands a figure looking to a view, a distant place.
Material Options
Place could be made in corten, rusted mild steel, polished stainless or wood.
My preferred option because of the concept of Place, would be polished stainless.
The viewer stands, and sees oneself within landscape.
Then there is a circular gap in the reflection, another space.
Within it stands a figure looking to a view, a distant place.
Corten or Mild Steel Rusted
On a clear day, facing the sky, a circle of blue all the more intense, set off against the red of corten like a painting. If it’s cloudy then the figure within the sculpture comes more to the fore.
Images showing sculptures by Richard Serra made from steel but gives the idea and colour of corten
Fabricated Wood
‘Place’ could potentially be made out of fabricated oak. I would need to do some more research on the detailing of the hole and how much movement there would be in the oak.
Images from English Oak Buildings who I work with
Mirror Polished Stainless Steel
A highly reflective surface that acts like a mirror, reflecting and framing ‘Place’.
The flat surface of ‘Place’ would not be so distorted as in the pictures below so would be more of a direct mirror projecting light and views.
Images showing Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor and Jeff Koons Balloon Dog.
Background to Place
The figure in Place is based on a poem.
I Have It Here
Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the have not
rather than the have.
The could be, possibly, should be
rather than the have.
I have enough stuff. I have time,
I have life.
I possibly could, possibly should
have more
but I have some, I have enough.
I look outside, over there, under here
but look I have it here.
Look
I have it here.
Look
I have it here.
Details of figure
The figure comes from the poem, I Have It Here, so she has her eyes closed. This represents the idea that she has what she needs within herself, it is empowering. But depending on its location, she may want to animate the space in front, bringing that space to the viewers mind and so she may have her eyes open.
The steel circle I think it’s been with me all my sculpting life. At art college I was brought up on Anthony Caro and abstract steel sculpture, I rejected as I was uncertain on what to do with it, but here it comes into my work, life indeed has circles.
Sometimes, you make a piece of work which is the piece you have always being trying to make, what your work is fundamentally about, even though you can’t quite pinpoint what that is. Which is good because if everything could be explained with words then what’s the point my job.
