Last year, Dear Maker contained a sealed confessional box called “Communion”. This piece facilitated a way for the audience to exercise the acknowledgement, expression and release of shame though written confessions. This year began with the burning of this confessional, the resulting ash becoming the beginning element for the next iteration.
Each of the previous works utilised the inescapable nature of appearance and perception to address the unremarkable yet tremendously impactful themes or identity, belonging, shame and confession.
This year I embarked on an unknowably fraught operation to create a selection of mirrors that would continue in the same vein. The cast mirrors combine ash with, speculum, an alloy that embodies the fragile nature of both the subject and objects intended for this work. This alloy was also used in Dear Maker, last years work for Proof of concept.
The familiarity of the materials and techniques used didn’t spare me from a intense phase of epic mistakes and technical failings. These primarily resulted from the change of scale, equipment and processes required in the making of these larger objects. I have definitely gained a new appreciation for the complexities of metallurgy through the production of these works.
These images are of the only casting that survived my initial casting sessions.
This was until it later self imploded due to complications with the crystal structure in the alloy and oxides formed during the casting process.
While the results are quite beautiful the are insufficient in fulfilling my intentions.