Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Stage 5, 6 and 7 in the Metamorphosis Seminar

Images of the next three stages in the Metamorphosis exploration:
Stage 5: from the thin in stage 4, which conveyed a sense of lightness and produced incredible movement through its lightness, Stage 5 is still a hand-held form, but this time there is play from thin to more voluminous masses, high and low points, narrow and wide concaves, and sharp edges and rounded planes.
I have to admit, contrary to my expectations, I didn't enjoy this form very much. I thought it would give me a great feeling of liberation, having, this time, all the variations in sculptural language at my disposal. My sense of freedom was greatly hampered by the fact I was having to work on such a small scale. This hand-held size doesn't sit comfortably with me; I like to work BIG. I enjoy the physicality of working big, the way it invites you to use the whole of your body during the working process.


Stage 6: no longer a hand-held form (but still 'small' in my book), this is the vertical, endeavouring to incorporate the element of air. In all the previous forms the element of water is predominant. This I found very enjoyable. Again, the lightness, the elegance, which I think the simplicity and slight symmetry accentuate.


Stage 7: the horizontal. My complete comfort zone. I love working in the horizontal, and time and again I'm amazed to find how many people find the vertical more appealing. I agree that verticality brings levity, which is beautiful, but I find real satisfaction is the settledness of the horizontal - like the horizon over the sea. And this one is slightly bigger: about 30 cm long and 15 cm high (That's more like it!!).



The next stage, Stage 8, I'm very excited about. Not close enough to completion to post images yet, but this one is bigger again (about 40 cm high and 15 cm wide), and best of all, I've reduced it down to the bare essentials, the essence, which, to me, in this instance is the exploration of the double bend. How far can that moving plane be stretched so it can be enjoyed to its fullest?

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