TERM 2 MAJOR WORK

THE ARTISTIC PROCESS:
- EVALUATION AND RESOLUTIONS

At this stage of my development, I have come to some hurdles within my art making. The class has just been told that we have a further two weeks to complete this task, which has greatly eased my stress as I was looking to maybe changing some of my ideas to suit the limited amount of time I had left.

I have only just begun to work into the cloth which will be hung over two boxes, which I made last year; I am working into the cloth (that being muslin) with graphite, marking in the swirling contours of the material itself. I have realised that this process is very time consuming, more so than I had originally thought, and so I now have to allot more time in order to finish and resolve my piece entirely. I have, however, finished my sculptural piece, which I am very happy with. I have taken the torso part of the sculpture and have attached it to a wooden frame which I covered in wax, shellac, bitumen and gesso. I also used these materials on the torso, though I also used red, patterned paper, gold leaf, lace, cardboard and ink. I attached the frame to the torso by using twine and red string, dipped in wax to make it resemble ribs. The rib-like connection is essential to the piece as it demonstrates the whole feeling of the inner and outer connecting to become one whole unity of being. I was very pleased with the outcome to this section of my piece.

This torso hanging within the frame is a combination of ideas, as well as the core to my work, both visually and conceptually. The torso defines the feminine; that being the accepted view of females as nurturing, desirable, healing, renewal and sensual, this concept in contrast with the harsh reality masking the inner, blood, wounds, flesh and varied perspectives most commonly disregarded by society. The materials used display this meaning, as the raw materials, such as the shellac and wax creates a paradox with the lace and the gold leaf. The torso also appears to be opening up to display the inner part of the body. This is shown at the top of the collar, where the flesh appears to be peeling back to reveal the inner; the vertebrae are also shown which enables the viewer to understand its meaning.

At first, the torso looked a little too abstract; the composition of colour and texture was not quite right, and so the black and white vertebra was used in order to create balance and clarity to the piece. A butterfly also sits atop of the section which is pealing back, which represents the feminine again, though this time more clearly. After completing the torso, I decided to make a frame in which to hang it, which personifies the acceptable constructs of society; the favourable and encourage characteristic traits of a woman.

The frame is the boundary of both the physical and emotional barriers which exist in all, in particular regards to women. This is in order to connect with both the Anima and Animus, as described by Jung, to determine their true identity, instead of identifying with the Persona as being true self. The Persona, being the first level of being within individual Archetypes, is the very outer contributor to the true self. The frame is used within my piece metaphorically to display this concept, as the frame essentially represents modern society, the media, and other physical elements which all create a particular accepted view of femininity. The torso looks as though it is being pulled apart within the frame of femininity by the rib-like twine attachments. This image displays the need of a connection within the psyche apparent within all women. It is the need to step out of the acceptable behavioural and appearance boundaries, created by the chauvinistic ideals of media organisations, embedded with historical perceptions of the feminine; stepping out into the possibility of the outer, individual and fundamentally liberated sector of being.

The consequential images shown above of the golden egg transforming into a butterfly holds significant meaning in regards to the Alchemical concept underpinning my work. My interpretation of Alchemy is in essence, varied elements coming together to create unity and wholeness. The same can be said for the butterfly deriving from with a cocoon; being born from a mixture of cells, genetic information and biological inheritance, to become a totally, whole, new life form.

Butterflies are also an important aspect to my work, as to me, butterflies are symbols of the feminine. Butterflies encompass the delicacy and intricacy of a woman, and however beautiful and calm they may appear to be, they are filled with stories, knowledge and wisdom surpassable by no other being. The actual shape of the butterfly also relates to the feminine, as the pelvic structure within all women is the same shape as the wings of a butterfly. The womb is a sacred element within the body that only females can enjoy. Only females have the potential to give life and only women can ever experience this miracle. Therefore, this extraordinary capability of all women is precious and beautiful, mirrored by the majestic grace of the butterfly.

After I had completed my sculpture, I focused on finishing my drawing into cloth. This was very tedious, as the cloth was hard to draw on. I resolved this problem by using a wooden canvas frame and stretching the cloth over it, held in place with metal clamps. In my head, I had an image of subtle markings on the cloth, just as Wendy Stavrianos had done in many of her works. I would have liked to draw on a greater part of the cloth, though because I was pushed for time, I only did the ends of both sides. Doing only this amount will look just as good I hope, as it will create balance and subtle complexity within my piece.

This piece of cloth, 3m x 1m, was then dipped into a glue mixture which when dry, hardens, then hung over the two boxes. The cloth looked exactly as I had imagined; it resembled a human figure, narrow at the top and then widening toward the table top with the ends of the cloth willowing down onto the floor. The cloth covering the boxes symbolises again the veil of society which hides the true identity of many women. It represents the withdrawal and sacrifices some women face in order conform to the accepted views of femininity within their communities.

On top of these boxes draped in cloth, sits a bird’s nest holding three golden eggs. These eggs have a variety of meanings and the nest symbolises the sacred feminine as a vessel of new life. The number of eggs, being three, is significant as many phases in life come in threes, as I have discovered. In previous research, shown in the beginning stages of my work section, I have found that the life itself is the cycle of birth, death and regeneration, the dualities of these cycles being light and dark, male and female, physical and spiritual, as described by Wendy Stavrianos. Also, threes come into play when looking at the alchemical combination of experiences from childhood and adolescence, and how it shapes the adult one will become, ultimately creating a new whole being. For these reasons, I have chosen three as an important number in my work in order to convey this message to the viewer via means of visual language. I was again inspired by Wendy Stavrianos by her piece called “The Dark Night Mantle” where the figure’s left breast is holding two white eggs.

I came across some compositional problems when I was deciding how exactly to position my various pieces. I had the boxes covered in the cloth, positioned towards the back of the table; I had the sculpture, though I didn’t know how to bring them all together. I then came up with the idea of having a small box at the front of the table, on a lace placemat to depict the combination of both the stereotypical feminine characteristics, mixed with the harsher reality of the inner strength of all women. The box, I thought, would symbolise the combination of these opposite elements, and how, by joining them, a new whole can be formed, more knowledgeable and wise than the two elements separated. A knife and fork, I figured, would then be placed either side of the box to represent the continually cycle of procreation; the continual progression of childhood, to adolescence to adulthood, mirroring the never-ending sequence of birth, life and death. By metaphorically ‘eating’ the box, whish is full of wisdom, experience and knowledge, the individual can therefore aspire to reach higher, to aim further and become a better person from the mistakes of those made previously to that.

That same day I came across a small box, roughly about 10cm x 10cm, for which I could use in my piece. I again used bitumen, shellac, gesso, lace, twine, as well as sating and a fur like material to create the look I had in my head; that encompassing both earth and flesh tones, as well as the softness of the outer persona. The box on the outside works well as it resembles the sculpture I previously made. On the inside however, I used dark brown fur material to symbolise warmth and compassion that only a mother can possess and know the true meaning of. This material, as well as the fleshy coloured satin used, shows the true depth of wisdom a mother has from life experience and also how mother’s can also learn so much from listening to their own children.

Once the box was completed, I assembled all of my components together; the boxes covered in cloth on the back end of the wooden table, the lace place-mat on which the small box sat with a knife and fork on either side, and the sculpture hanging on the upper left of the body-like boxes. I then placed another gold-covered egg within the box as a way to represent the joining of the number three within all aspects of life; how the important phases in life all combine to produce an experience, a memory or perhaps a future goal.



When I looked at it, I was happy with it, though again I though something was missing. Something was not quite right, just yet. I then came up with the idea of hanging the sculpture from a solid piece of drift wood, symbolising how something beautiful can be found within objects of concealed qualities, such as wood. This earthy object, when in place, is the pivotal element, I think, in bringing all of the other aspects together to form one, whole and complete atmosphere. This element of earth is also added to by the four candles positioned behind the small, decorated box. I have chosen to use four lit candles as they represent the desire for freedom; freedom of expression, thought and movement; the power to do as you wish. The number of candles mirrors the number of eggs within the piece and so adds to that central idea. This feeling of freedom conveyed through use of fire is used as visual language, and so assists in creating a calm and soothing feeling to the piece, which is again specific to the stereotypical qualities embedded within all women.

When I look at it, I am proud of what I’ve done; I feel as though I have resolved all slight problems I encountered, controlled all aspects of my piece and have done so to the best of my ability. I planned well and so I always knew what had to be done next, and how long each section should take me. This helped me to stay motivated and on track and to stay within the allocated time frame. I have used thorough research, understanding and familiarisation of the topic to my advantage, and have broadened the presentation of my concept to produce a very unique and personal piece. I am now a young woman, and I realise the gender inequity I currently face within parts of my community, and how I will have to face this issue in the workplace in the coming years ahead of me. I am a strong willed person, and so I will not let the sometimes voyeuristic approaches of a male dominated society dictate my beliefs and/or actions. I also believe that women are a lot stronger than most make out, and that most women are not able to believe in themselves. Without confidence in one’s abilities, one cannot successfully become whole on an emotional and spiritual level. Therefore, I know that if I want to succeed, I have to encourage and believe in myself and my gifts in order to become the person I truly know I can be.