I initially started this handshake project looking at patterns of growth. Initial experiments were made out of metal using the pattern of skin cells to create a magnified version. If we think about cells and their patterns we suddenly realise we are surrounded by them. Every living thing is made up of cells. These cellular patterns are replicated in different shapes such as honeycomb structures or less uniform shapes such as seen in skin cells.
Lately I have been working with bone as a material. I have not worked with bone much before this. Cleaning up the bone is a very visceral process and whilst cleaning the bones you can’t escape the reality of the bone being an animal product, much reminiscent of our own bones. The blood, muscle tissue, cartilage and internal bone marrow is quite a challenge for me to clean up, stomach clenching even. However once cleaned of all of this flesh you can see the structure of the bones themselves. I am particularly interested in the internal structure of the bone formally known as trabecular bone. This honeycomb-like structure reminds me of lace.
Influenced by this internal bone structure I wanted to create a magnified version of this structure from the outer bone (cortical bone). For ease I Initially started by simple drilling the bone until it was very light and mainly comprised of bone outlining the holes. Drawn to the patterns created by this I have been experimenting with creating a negative of these holes, the outline of the holes being the deep part rather than the holes being the deeper part. I came back to the original skin cell pattern experimenting with etching this pattern away with sandblasting and carving away the opposite. During this time I have also been experimenting with dyeing the bone, using natural dye made form onion skins. And experimenting with creating a resist out of vinyl and then sandblasting the colour out of the bone.
All of the things I have been experimenting all have a commonality of holes. The internal external push pull. I am wanting to play with the way that this affects our eyes, being able to see inside and outside at the same time, our eyes tend to bounce in between the two a sort of optical illusion. I am considering using some form of optical illusion patterning to make the surface seem as if it is bowing out when it is actually flat. Tricking the eyes. Let’s hope I’m not tricking myself with this idea!