Category: Sculpture

Plaster hand with the fingers distorted using wire 

Linsey Obermeyer’s “Womans Work” collection 1997-2008 is a series of pieces that consist of knitted jumpers. The main theme of the pieces consist around motherhood. The piece “Immigration: Missing You – 2008” features two jumpers one made to fit Obermeyer and the other made to fit her daughter separated by a fence. The piece leaves a feeling of isolation and despair

I liked the use of the softer materials and everyday objects and alters them to convey such heavy topics.

After working on my first Oldenburg inspired project I wanted to stay focused on the general idea of a bag but add my own artistic style. Almost linking to my painting project I wanted to still focus on my human anatomy. I wanted to focus on hands as they are versatile and would be able to developed upon.

In my original plans I wanted to create a bag out of hands.

To start my project I went to the plastics workshop to make a mould of my hand.

Using alginate (a seaweed based powder) mixed with water I was able to make a realistic mould of my hand. To make the mould I took a sheet of plastic and hot glued it into a tube big enough to fit my hand. I filled the tube up with the alginate mixture and had to insert my hand into the mixture quickly. I had to wait for approximately 5 minutes for the mixture to dry around my hand then added plaster to create a cast of my hand.

After creating the plaster hand I coated it in multiple layers of silicone to create a reusable mould.

Claus Oldenburg

Designed by Claes Olenburg and Coosje van Brugeen in 1994, the Inverted Collar and Tie is located in Frankfurt, Germany in front of the Westend Tower. It was commissioned by the  Deutsche Genossenschaftsbank in 1993, installed June 14-15 1994 and inaugurated June 21 1994. Standing at 39 ft. x 27 ft. 9 in. x 12 ft. 8 in. (11.9 x 8.5 x 3.9 m) the tie and collar is made from steel, polymer concreate, fiber reinforced plastic and painted with polyester gelcoat. The sculpture weighs 7.5 tonnes but seems to have a softness that gives the image of fluttering in the wind.

“If I didn’t think what I was doing had something to do with enlarging the boundaries of art, I wouldn’t go on doing it.”

Claes Olenburg

The contrast between the fluidity of the statue and the stiffness of the materials captures the feeling of taking of a tie at the end of the workday with the feeling of the next work day looming around the corner. The size of the sculpture is a defining trait of Olenburg’s work – Olenburg is has gone on to create many everyday objects with amplified proportions and placing the outdoors. An example of this is when Olenburg made a large scale ice bag and place it in multiple locations across the United States.

Holly Hendry

Holly Hendry born 1990, is a British Artist who mostly focuses on aspects of the human body. The sculpture Cold and Callous (2021) features two feet with highly detailed and realistic toes compared to a smooth upper part of the foot. The baby blue colour relates back to the title representing the colour body parts will turn when cold – the colour choice also has a darker overtone possibly relating to death. The piece was created using Jesmonite, pigment and wood and is 75 x 68.5 x 21.5cm.

It was very interesting to look at Henry’s work after studying Olenburg’s as they both approach objects we take for guaranteed or don’t usually think about on a day to day basis and makes it into a statement piece. For example Olenburg scales up day to day objects and often switches the material to be opposite of the original object. Where as Henry takes objects that are often seen to be gory and unpleasant to think about and puts and illustrative spin on them. I personally preferred the look of Henry’s work as it appealed more to my aesthetic. It was also interesting to look at two artists who were working at different times but seeing the similarity they both share.

Using the brief of the word “Prond” we were asked to create sculptures using cardboard. To me the word ‘prond’ made me think of; isolation, water and fluidity. I tried to capture this with my cardboard model. I found it difficult to work with the rigidity of the cardboard and it took a while to find the best way to stick the cardboard together. In the end hot glue worked the best to hold the sculpture together.