FMP Update

Over the holidays i took home some random objects we found in the skip like parts of chairs and cupboards to hopefully use in my casting. The one i wanted to use was the side frame from a chair because at first its hard to tell what object it came from but then looking at the shapes and smooth surfaces you realise its a chair. I think this element of ergonomics is important to show the shape and posture of a person and an object that is specifically made to fit that, without actually showing the body.

 I then wanted to cast the side of my legs as i sat on the chair as a side cast would make it less recognisable and less of a classic cast/pose. I wanted to try attaching the cast to the chair as the cast was being made but this proved to be too difficult without me getting stuck in the cast, so instead i sat on the chair as i was cast to get the right angle in my legs. I wanted to show a less pleasant texture within the plaster making it spikey or having finger marks running through it like it hasnt been 'perfected' or finished off neatly. I like how the inside of the cast picked up on the texture of the leggings i wore.

Although i started off focusing on process over outcome and tried to restrict myself in keeping the process basic and not messing with it too much, ive come to find that maybe part of the process is showing the ways in which we try to correct or control the material as this takes it on a new path. I wanted to make the parts where ive tried to control the material more obvious by attaching the cast back to the chair with another colour of plaster. I chose pleasant food like colours in theme with my other sculptures as i like that you go over to the object with the subconcsious part of your brain thinking about food and other senses like smell or taste then realise how raw and messy the material is laid on.  I angled it so that it could free stand and almost make the other half of the chair to make one whole object.

I like how the piece turned out although i think its too close to the human form....but that might be because i know how it was made, what was cast and that ive been looking at it for almost 2 weeks now. Im not sure whether to add another element to abstract it from the human form slightly and exaggerate the grotesque side of my work to have more of a contrast with the colour. I was thinking of using the expanding foam like my other sculpture as it mimics fat and skin, or instead fill with one coat to get that gritty texture. I could maybe try painting the outside/inside with latex so it adds that off yellow colour and texture.