During a visit to the vast weathered steel sculptures of Richard Serra, I noticed how rust had shed from the sides and fallen to the ground. I was immediately inspired. It brought up thoughts of fragility in the heavy industrial architecture surrounding us in modern developments and how polished and well-maintained surfaces of Modernism can also be vulnerable despite their robust appearance.

Although the overwhelming potency of such heavy materials is in its ability to make us feel separated from nature, they are still subject to natural phenomena and must ultimately give way to nature’s rules.

I have encountered different experiences, looking at contrasts between industrial and natural materials in my art practice, both in and out of their natural habitat. Therefore, I have attempted to uncover certain equilibria found between fundamentally different components. I consider the emotive qualities of these materials, as well as associated ethical considerations, arising from my study; both within my practice and at sites where they naturally occur.

Art creation is the act of extracting (or making) meaning from source materials, interpreting and giving them new form and purpose, in this case, to interpret manifestations of nature. This is no new concept, Michelangelo famously thought within every rock lay an unexplored potential art piece. “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it”.  

 

My own art exploration ranges from altering materials with fire, to calling attention to primal shapes and even finding new methods of interpreting man-made objects which already exist within the landscape. The journey has afforded me with the possibility to re-think and approach materials in a different manner. I find it important to consider the ‘redistribution’ of elements rather than their demolition or destruction, and to ultimately present the works within a new context.

 

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