I started this blog back in July. It was a big month of social activity because I turned 60. It was such a thrill to go to a music gig…the 40th Anniversary of Flying Nun at the Auckland Town Hall with thousands of people and a couple of restaurant celebrations. Good timing all in all, because Covid did strike again….thankfully not then.
The strangest thing has happened since Covid.
On my walks I pick up plastic and other assorted objects from the ground, take them home, clean them, document them via instagram, and add them to my ‘found’ object pile. Recently I’ve noticed there is less material to pick up. Why would this be? Are the rubbish trucks taking more care or do they pick up the bins differently? Are we the people finally using less plastic in our households? There have been huge shifts in packaging since Covid – it’s given everyone time to pause, to redevelop their brands, or make change for the better. There is worldwide pressure for change. Supply chains changing, pressure from environmental scientists and obvious global warming events.
Attai Chen, July 2021
Attai is so generous with his time – we had another meet, and he suggested I make something more complex…structural…make sequences…ie
1 day make 10 parts of 1 system
1 day make 10 parts of 1 system
1 day make 10 parts of 1 system etc…
This is a good format for me because it gives me ways to combat my tendency to jump from one thing to another. We also looked at his work from 2006 called ‘Redundancy of matter’ where he used one ounce of 24k gold and created a series of works over a period of a year, documented and presented the gold as a solid lump, melted down, and all the work digitally on a brooch. This is a link to his work.
I love this work. It makes me want to work in gold and not plastic which is so unforgiving. I particularly like the erosion part, when he is taking away the gold and diminishing the work to the smallest, most minute brooch. I can’t imagine trusting the process of making and destroying, only to make again. I have difficulty using materials I have a connection with, whether it’s colour or shape, because I don’t think I will ‘find’ them again. I do think that plastic will end up in museums when we reach some elimination targets worldwide.
I’ve sourced a different heat shrink and have been experimenting with what it will endure. I’ve painted it with metallic paint and really like what happens. It’s confusing to the brain and challenges the jewelleryness.
