Showing posts with label blacksmithing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blacksmithing. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The GateKeeper Vs The Masquerade

The human body has been utilized in these works as a mode of exploring science fiction and personal myth. I create armors and masks that often adorn as well as obscure one’s true identity. In today’s hightech era, these physical metal objects relate to the creation of a digital face as seen in Facebook and other social networking media. Masks and armors are used in my work to fabricate and reengineer personal identity.  Industrial materials such as copper, brass, steel, and aluminum are utilized as physical adornment in addition to electrical components. By dawning the mask along with a persona, it becomes possible to indirectly provoke discomfort from the lack of true information about oneself. As the kinetic sculptor and jewelry artist Ira Sherman asks, “Are people recognizing the moral consequences of their technological achievements?”


Thank you Elaine Bezold for the excellent Photography! 


  








  

  


  



  

 


  









Pop Performance and Penland School of Crafts

















Thursday, September 13, 2012

Forging the Protective and Decorative

This currently developing body of work has been inspired by an introduction into blacksmithing processes over the summer. Artists Albert Paley and Tone Vigeland have been important influences in the development of a new body suit. I am interested in using the esthetics of decorative gate construction and high-end fashion trends to engage the viewer in a push pull tension between the repellent and sometimes aggressive nature of armor. The use of circular pinwheel like forms relate to the infinity symbol, which spawns the idea of self-preservation and further relates to the purpose of modern day as well as ancient armors. While these pieces do not necessarily serve as physically protective, they still visually infer the intention. It is my intent to create a high end fashion suit of armor to cover the head, chest, back, shoulders, lower arms, and groin regions.

Lower Arm Vambrace

Iron Wire, Brass, Found Object. Scaled to the human body.




Brest and Abdominal Plates in progress photo






More to Come....

Albert Paley 

Alexander Mcqueen 


Danielle Nicole Hills


Other Visual References

Henna Tattoos