Following up from last month, I laid out some of the cardboard panels to have a rough impression on how big the wall/parapet would be.
The planning of creating the parapet was difficult, as I was trying to ensure that the structure not only will stand but also strudy enough for the performer to be standing on it for hours. Last month I tried to stand on the material, as soft as they are, they seem to potentially dent over time. While that might be a rather interesting 'documentation' of the performance, I was a bit skeptical in terms of its safety.
I did some sketches- dividing the 2m parapet into 5 wooden plinths, with an additional vertical support between the first and second, the spot where the performer is expected to be present.
The parapet is also projected to be a gigantic brick, as both are quite dimensionally proportionate in size.
So i started on creating the skin for the parapet. Starting with one side only to realize that I did not have. enough cardboards to envelop all 5 faces of the parapet. Quantity could easily be solved but then I was reminded by the practicality of a rather massive plinth to be stored after the residency/presentation. I feel practicality is also an important consideration while devising new works, one that I have not been paying much attention to.
Artworks after all, need care, storage, cleaning and proper packing that not only require additional budget but also time and space. So devising this piece and also, responding to my current state of residence of being a much rather 'transfer student', it seems to make more sense to alter the visual presentation of the piece to also suit this practical side of being an artist.
I came up with a flattened version of the parapet, so instead of a 2x1.5m block, I am restructuring it into a sheet, roughly 2.1x1.1m. This without a doubt changes the dynamics of the sculpture, as it no longer has the opportunity to be supporting a human figure.
The decision however, was not finalized without rerouting the idea of the live element of the piece itself. I came up with a plan that echoes my interest in transforming the performance body into a pedestal for the piece (sculpture, drawing, etc)- and by flattening the parapet into a sheet or plane, it allows this side of the experiment to take place. The work will eventually need support to be able to stand by itself, also echoing the nature of the making method and the material itself being rather flimsy. Hence the performer will be that 'support' by being a sculptural plinth for the sheet to stand during the presentation of the work. I will be making more sketches on some of the poses and actions that I have in mind, but in the mean time, I got engrossed with playing and layering the individual pieces of carton bricks into a sheet of wall.
This is my first attempt in creating works using this material. which I have collected since I arrived in London. When I had to move out from my student apartment, I was faced with a mountain of these collected boxes and decided to cut them into small pieces for easy storage. At the same time, I also was attracted by the notion of weaving these smaller modular pieces into a collective body, one that may visually mimic a brick wall, some sort of a division between public and private, a safe place.
The idea of brick wall also reminds me of the three little pigs childhood story where the chosen materiality of the three pig siblings become a representation of their diligence. And of course, the last pig, having built his house by bricks, could withstand the big bad wolf but applied in this work of mine, is it a brick (the strongest form of defense) or simply paper (even weaker than the hay).
The performer by becoming the support plinth to keep this structure erect will eventually add a certain conceptual/narrative dimension towards this one potential reading of the piece too.
The construction of the wall has been pretty enjoyable. A lot of PVC glue was applied and the lack of sturdy skeletal foundation creates a surprising dynamic to the piece. Also the irregularities of the surface adds dimensional breath onto the work, resulting in a non-linear story telling approach and also an indirect attempt to distance myself from trying to replicate a brick wall.
The plane is after all, a sculpture- not a realist representation of a wall. It is a weaving of squares and layers of single hued object that could open up conversation of what it could potentially be.
Also if the sculpture were to be approached as a detached section of a wall, a stolen piece of a brick fence, it also presents another layer of narrative that is encapsulated through a pictorial, framed 2.1 by 1.1 sheet of image. The thickness too indicates it being a signage held by protestors, a paper carpet for the comfort of the homeless, or simply common household items found in simple households.
I think by flattening the parapet into a sheet has not only solved the practicality issue this sculpture may face but also expands the conceptual and contextual approach towards the work as a whole.
I tried to not waste any of the cut pieces of the boards and use them entirely. But I realized that a certain degree of sturdiness is vital for the work to 'perform' together with the performer. This means I had to create several layers of the 'weaving' which allows me to cover any mistakes of the previous layers and create a more dynamic exterior.
As I add layers onto the sheet, it is looking less and less like a functional brick wall, but more of a painting- sort of. It reminds me of garganta from Bleach, some sort of portal between worlds.
Making the piece has also taught me to be patient, as there are plenty of waiting time for the glue to dry, often taking days in order to fully secured their bond between the layers. The duplicates of simple modular shape has also been very enjoyable to immerse oneself in that ultimately, the whole process has been very enjoyable.
April started out rather slow but the last week and a half have been rather productive in getting this part of the work rolling. I will be sharing more onto the performance plan as at the moment the work has developed into:
1. The wall sheet and 1 Performer (me) due to height requirement
2. 1 Performer of feeding bread to a fishbowl
3. 1 (or more0 movement based performance using the 'friend' sign language action
4. A series of hand drawings as stickers
I will spend the next month to also weave the narrative aspect of the piece, as I will be rewatching A Silent Voice again, revisiting all that has inspired this piece to construct the story.