Site-Specific Installation Art
Tree 30.5cm x 45.7cm x 29.2cm Mixed Media April and May 2021 This sculpture is commentary on how humanity is harming the Earth. The plaster model is showing my idea for a sculpture in St. Francis, Wisconsin. The area around the sculpture will be redone to show that we as a society are destroying our Earth with pollution and over harvesting resources. The white sculpture in an organic setting contrasts with the hues and material. Also, there is contrast from the location of choice and the message I intend to send—a sculpture about saving the environment. |
Inspirations
Big White Deborah Butterfield
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One of my inspirations was the creation of Deborah Butterfield. Her work consists of, practically, exclusively horse sculptures. They come in a verity of materials, many are made of metal that are made to just look like wood. When seeing one of her works (there is one at Lynden Sculpture Garden) it is an interesting experience. At fist glance I assumed it was a skillfully crafted sculpture made of wood, but on closer inspection it was made of metal. I was very interested on how it was made, which is cast drift wood. Her use of form is very inspiring for my formulation of my first ideas. |
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Another big inspiration is the interesting work of Ai Weiwei. He is a contemporary artist that creates a wide range of sculptures. Some of his works that really caught my eye was the "trees" he makes. Shown in the video on the left, he uses sections of trees and bolts them together to make a whole work. The almost choppy look that that different pieces create from being placed together in unnatural was. The many different forms coming together to form one whole is an interesting concept to me. I also find how the "trees" are incomplete very appealing .
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Tree Ai Weiwei
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Planning
When imaging this work at first I wanted a very bendy and natural/organic look the overall sculpture. But in the end I wanted to got with more of an incomplete and disrupted look, similar to Ai Weiwei's "trees". My first sketch displays this on the top right, and then my more finalized design is to the bottom right.
I truly enjoy sculpture that take up the space they are in, but since this is going to be an outdoor sculpture I wanted it large and condensed so it had a presence. I also understood that I wanted this sculpture to be made out of anything but a organic looking medium. Similar to Butterfield, this is casted metal that is made to look like wood. Then I placed this in a more natural setting to accentuate it's unnatural white color in comparison to the lush green. |
Here is a mock-up of an aerial view from a photo of the chosen location.
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Here shows my chosen location in St. Francis Wisconsin. The geographical placement was chosen specifically for this work. Overall the land is flat in the section I chose, and is very barren. This area and others around here used to be Superfund sites, or manufactures that dumped harmful substances either on the land, which turned into run off which lead to the lake, or directly into the water.
The Oak Leaf Trail is incorporated into the design, as well as plant life. Another initiative of this sculpture, other then to bring awareness to pollution, it to regrow the area with more wild grass and flowers. Also I wanted to have a large and almost obnoxious sculpture right by the apartments in the area to disturb their view slightly, and hopefully bring more attention the the message. |
On the left is a satellite image of the location and to the left is a geographical map showing the landscape.
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Process
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To make the tree I used plaster sticks I had from a previous project. With sticks I created a mold, and then pored plaster inside. I did not paint or alter the sticks since I made then two years ago. The mold I used is shown to the left on the first slide. I used these plaster sticks and hot glue to make the sculpture. I carved away at the sticks so other branches could fit more flush with trunk. I constantly was checking to make sure that the form was balanced and would not fall over and break. At first I placed the branches haphazardly with no meaning, but then I started over and replaced them with more propose and intent. I wanted to make sure that the branches did not completely jut out at 90 degrees, but also didn't look natural. I fixed my errors by shaving the plaster down and looked were I was going to place them before I glued them down. |
After the main form was completed I put together the rectangular stand. I used on cardboard sheet as the top and another for the other sides. I measured and cut the second sheet to length. I then hot glued the pieces together to form the box.
Then I went on making a to size bench for ascetics and for size reference. It is made out of thin craft wood sheets. I cut two panels for the bottom and back-rest. I then used the back of an exacto blade to add indentations to represent planks of wood. Then with much smaller pieces I used wood glue to set in place the connectors, the legs, and the counter weights on the underside. With the same wood I cut out a to size silhouette. Then I drew out the paths in black paper and cut them out. This consists of the Oak Leaf Trail path, the bendy path to the sculpture, and the circular concrete slap the sculpture will be attached to. The last images show all of the pieces together. |
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The last thing I did was the most time consuming, making the wild grass. When coming up with the idea of this sculpture I could not get the thought of redoing the landscape as well. Along the Oak Leaf Trail there is much wild grass and flowers, so I wanted to incorporate that here in this barren field. I wanted to bring back more of the natural and rough look to contrast the pristine white, clean, "tree". I did that by fringing many strips of paper very finely. Then gluing them in rows. In hind sight it would have looked better if I filled in all of the grass, but at the expense of my sanity. From a front angle the grass is everything I hoped it to be, but from an aerial view it left much to be desired. |
Reflection
Overall I learned more about finalizing ideas here. At first I wanted to jump right in and make what came to my mind first, but that I never really ever the case with art. I planned quite a bit with work and went over and over my ideas and concepts. I even made a completely different sculpture. Here I learned how to connect idea together, how to show my thinking via a Development broad, and how to finalize my thinking for a work. It was a little trying to make all of the wild grass, and in the end I am not fully in love with it. I think I really enjoy the concept in my mind, but it did not come together. I also think that that white of the grass goes back on my thinking of the white sculpture standing out. So if I were to do this over I would definitely do the grass in a different color, and fill the whole board. But in the end I want people to take away from this work the damages we are doing to out planet, and try to convince others to do more the help the Earth.
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Critique
Similarities:
-The form is similar on these works. The tree like structures. -Both have a branching and incomplete ends to the forms. -The message connects to the population and nature. Differences: -My work is intended to be a proposal, while Ai Weiwei's work was made as commentary about China and it's rapid growing. -The mediums are contrasting, one uses dry wood, the other uses plaster. -Mine is a mock-up of an idea and Ai Weiwei's is a finalized work. |
ACT Responses
1) Clearly explain and describe how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
Upon looking at my inspirations ideas were formed on how I can use those elements in my own work, also how they can add to my message I make with this piece. 2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration? All of my information came form authors that had a positive look on the art, no negative or contrasting ideas. 3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration? Many people share my beliefs and ideas about the Earth and how we should protect it. 4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research? I was looking for works that used the space well, but also had a hidden message. 5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research? I inferred that all of the authors are reliable sources. |
Bibliography
Clemans, G., & Danese/Corey. (2011). Deborah Butterfield. Retrieved from https://www.danesecorey.com/artists/deborah-butterfield?view=slider#2
Fondation Louis Vuitton (Producer). (2016, March 09). Ai Weiwei 'TREE' - the installation process [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Fh2U2Bz8De4 Tate. (1970, January 01). 'Tree', AI weiwei, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/ai-tree-t14630 |