You Are What You Eat - SculptureTitle: You Are What You Eat
Size: Medium: Air dry clay, tin foil, and plastic container Date of Completion: August 2023 Exhibition Text I created this sculpture titled ¨You Are What You Eat¨ using air dry clay, as well as other various materials such as tin foil, and a recycled plastic container. The piece depicts a human bust with a head that is hollowed out and filled with fish hooks, netting, and other debris inspired by the larger than life sculptures created by Daniel Popper. Through the debris inside the skull, I intended to represent the devastating impacts of overfishing on ocean ecosystems. Additionally, the debris addresses the negative effects of excessive fish consumption on the human body such as mercury poisoning which is becoming increasingly common across the world. |
Inspiration
Daniel Popper is an artist that I have admired and known for a long time. When I decided I wanted to do a sculptural piece I immediately thought of his work as inspiration for my own. His pieces are life-size and directly reflect the theme I wish to portray in my own body of work of nature to human relationships. One reassuring theme I observed amount many of his pieces such as Modem Swamp and Thrive is the different hollowed our or missing elements of the figures' bodies and faces. This trait further eventuated the natural aspect of his pieces through the inclusion of vines and plants that were seen imbedded in the missing areas. Many of Daniel's pieces were designed to be interactive for the public such as his piece titled Thrive in which people can actually walk through an opening in the women's chest. I wanted to reflect something similar in my piece and decided to have a hollow head on a bust where the viewer could actually look inside
Planning
Planning Page
|
When I began my planning page I created a lot of rough brainstorming sketches that helped me begin to formulate a basic idea. I started with a concept that was inspired by Daniel Popper's themes and sculptures. However I initially considered doing two heads that would create contrast from one another and display an idea surrounding the effects on your body of eating different foods. I then decided though that I wanted to focus more so on the specific consequences of world fish consumption and overfishing. I conducted a lot of research during this phase of my planning and learned more in depth about Mercury poisoning and how overfishing is extremely catastrophic for marine ecosystems across the world. With having finally selected my specific topic I created some in depth sketches that dipicted my idea for a man swallowing a fish. I decided I wanted the inside of his head to be hollow and filled with fish hooks and debris symbolizing the lasting negative effects on both the body and environment that come from high fish consumption. |
For my final sketch I simply wanted to create an image that directly depicted the idea I had decided on after reviewing all of my previous planning sketches. I feel it was necessary to create a detailed sketch but rather one that I could reference for the placement of different features and the general form. I created this sketch in pencil but then decided the next day to go over the torso portion with a red pen after deciding I wanted to show slightly lower down the body than just the shoulders. Despite having this final sketch as a reference, I still had multiple online images pulled up on my computer throughout the entire process to insure my piece was anatomically correct as much as possible.
Final Planning Sketch
Process
The first step in my process was making a base mold for the clay to form around. Not knowing which material I should use to create the mold, I researched online and found that the DAS air dry clay I intended to use would work well with a tin foil mold. I also did this to significantly reduce the amount of clay needed for this piece knowing that this would also allow the piece to be lighter and easier to transport. I started forming this by referencing an anatomical image of a human that showed the muscular system. This way I was able to be more accurate while forming this portion of the piece. However before doing so, I decided to tape down a flat sheet of tin foil to the surface I was working on to prevent the clay from sticking
Tin Foil Bust Mold
After I finished smoothing our the clay onto the bust I stuck a piece of wire through the tin foil mold and added more foil around the wire to form the neck. This helped insure the new added tin foil would not fall off. I repeated the process of rolling out a sheet of clay and pressing it around the neck. I then added small amounts of clay and smoothed them out using the spoon around the base of the neck to help seamlessly join the two sections together. Still referencing the anatomical image of a humans muscular system I decided to add pieces of rolled out clay to represent the tenders in the neck and the collar bone.
|
Next, I mixed a small amount of clay with some water and mixed it together to form a paste substance. Through my research online I learned that this substance would be very useful in attaching pieces of clay to one another. Each time I worked on this piece I would add the leftover scraps of clay to the bowl and continue creating this mixture. I also found the paste worked great for filling in cracks in the clay that occurred during the drying process. Additionally since I was using air dry clay, the clay I was working with would often start drying too quickly and becoming stiff and to prevent this I would add a small layer of the paste on the area which made the clay more malleable.
Clay and Water Paste Substance
Since I wanted the head to be hollow I decided to use a plastic food container to form the clay around. Similar to the tin foil mold this would also make the piece a lot lighter and require me to use less clay. I wanted the inside of the head to be red and contrast with the clay so I began by priming the inside of the container with white acrylic paint and letting it dry before finally painting it red. Once that dried I replicated the method I used earlier with the neck and shoulders by rolling out a sheet of clay and forming it around the plastic. I had a more difficult time doing so then with the tin foil because the clay slipped often on the plastic and there were many air pockets that I had to work out. I added additional pieces of clay toward the top of the container to create the forehead chin and cheekbones. I rolled out a sheet of clay to the back of the head and smoothed it with the back of the spoon to join it with the front. I added a few additional layers of clay to the back of the head near the top to try and create the roundedness of a skull.
I then began attaching features of the face starting with the nose. I formed the nose separately using various wooden and rubber tools and referencing online images of noses. To attach it I used a metal tool to scratch and score the back of the nose and the area on the face where I would be attaching it. I then added some of the clay paste substance I had created earlier to the back of the nose and pressed it into clay and held it there for a couple minutes. I then began to blend the seams together using a small rubber tool so that the nose felt fully embedded into the rest of the face. I followed the same process for the eyes eyebrows and fish tail before finally forming the lips around the fish. The fish tail was the most difficult part to attach due to its size and weight. I was also attempting to attach it on an area of the face that was rounded and not angled so I had to add additional layers of clay underneath the fish to make the surface even. Finally I moved on to the top of the head where the opening into the hollow center began. I added small beads of clay around the opening to create a wavy outline that made it appear more organic.
Experimentation
This was my first time ever making a sculpture of this size and style so I conducted multiple forms of experimentation throughout the process. I observed myself practicing experimentation primarily with the techniques I used on the clay. Being somewhat of a beginner sculpture I did not have much prior knowledge on how to achieve specific looks with the clay. This was also my first time using this brand of clay which varied significantly from the brand I had used in the past. Even though I had conducted research online on how to use the clay I found that experimentation was equally as useful. I tried using my fingers to smooth out the forehead and area near the opening of the head but the clay would wrinkle and create folds. I found that using a small flat wooden tool to graze over the surface of the clay worked well. I learned through this process that it was also more difficult to mold the clay the longer I worked with it because it would begin to dry. Therefor I had to adapt to this and learnt o work efficiently and only use small amounts of clay at a time so that I could devote my attention to one section at a time.
Critique
Similarities:
- All three pieces feature a human bust that includes a hollowed out section.
- Another similarity is in their shared themes relating to nature to human relationships.
- They share an element that is interactive for the audience.
Differences:
- My Inspiration pieces have hands in addition to the bust while mine does not.
- The eyes on my sculpture are open while my inspiration pieces have closed eyes.
- My piece is significantly smaller and not intended for any specific space or environment.
- All three pieces feature a human bust that includes a hollowed out section.
- Another similarity is in their shared themes relating to nature to human relationships.
- They share an element that is interactive for the audience.
Differences:
- My Inspiration pieces have hands in addition to the bust while mine does not.
- The eyes on my sculpture are open while my inspiration pieces have closed eyes.
- My piece is significantly smaller and not intended for any specific space or environment.
Reflection
I have always loved and admired sculptures and in the few small ones I had created prior to this project I realized how much I loved the process. This piece was one that I thoroughly enjoyed the process of making and had fun with the design. Even though attempting a sculpture of this size felt very intimidating to me, I felt much more confident after conducting thorough research on how to use the specific type of clay I purchased. The thing I enjoyed most about making this piece was the tactile process of adding molding and removing clay. In the past I created a subtractive sculpture and after finishing this piece I learned that I enjoy this form of sculpting much more. I had some difficulty in the beginning stages at adding clay and smoothing out seams. I was frustrated at some of the cracks indentations and lumps in the clay that I couldn't seem to smooth out with the basic sculpting tools I had purchased. However once I did some more research I learned that many people recommended using the back of a spoon to smooth out the clay. When I tried this method the entire process became so much easier and enjoyable. I also found that looking at anatomical diagrams of the human figure that showed the muscular system were very helpful in knowing where to add and take away clay.
Connection to ACT
1) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
I was inspired to create this piece after learned about issues threatening the ocean and public health. These issues are overfishing and excessive fish consumption both of which are global threats that I addressed through the composition of my piece. Specifically through the fish in the person's mouth, and the debris in the hollowed out head.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Regarding the issues of overfishing and excessive fish consumption the author feels as though both these issues are an extreme threat to communities and ecosystems across the globe in various ways. The author feels as of now that overfishing is the number one threat to the ocean.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have discovered through my research that fish is a huge staple in the diets of many groups of people around the world as is often tied to cultural practices and traditions. However due to the increasing pollution of our ocean with plastics and chemicals, eating fish often is having an extreme negative effect on a rapidly growing number of individuals health such as mercury poisoning.
4) What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research is that in order for us to continue to coexist and benefit from earth and the ocean it is essential that we change our practices and mindsets about fish and its role in out diets before further irreversible damage to the ocean occurs.
5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I was able to infer that that these two issues I addressed in my piece are becoming increasingly threatening to public health and the environment primarily due to their excessive nature and rate in which they are occurring. The practices of fishing and consuming fish in of themselves are not an issue but it is the scale at which fish as being removed from the oceans and the increasing amount of fish in the average individual's diet that are causing these to be such significant issues.
I was inspired to create this piece after learned about issues threatening the ocean and public health. These issues are overfishing and excessive fish consumption both of which are global threats that I addressed through the composition of my piece. Specifically through the fish in the person's mouth, and the debris in the hollowed out head.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Regarding the issues of overfishing and excessive fish consumption the author feels as though both these issues are an extreme threat to communities and ecosystems across the globe in various ways. The author feels as of now that overfishing is the number one threat to the ocean.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have discovered through my research that fish is a huge staple in the diets of many groups of people around the world as is often tied to cultural practices and traditions. However due to the increasing pollution of our ocean with plastics and chemicals, eating fish often is having an extreme negative effect on a rapidly growing number of individuals health such as mercury poisoning.
4) What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research is that in order for us to continue to coexist and benefit from earth and the ocean it is essential that we change our practices and mindsets about fish and its role in out diets before further irreversible damage to the ocean occurs.
5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I was able to infer that that these two issues I addressed in my piece are becoming increasingly threatening to public health and the environment primarily due to their excessive nature and rate in which they are occurring. The practices of fishing and consuming fish in of themselves are not an issue but it is the scale at which fish as being removed from the oceans and the increasing amount of fish in the average individual's diet that are causing these to be such significant issues.
APA Citations
Adele Po. (2021, August 17). How to work with air-dry clay to get the best results?. Adele Po. https://www.adelepo.com/blog/2018/10/30/how-to-work-with-air-dry-clay-to-get-the-best-results
Louise, M. (2020, April 10). Air Dry Clay: 10 great tips to know before you start a project • maria louise design. Maria Louise Design. https://marialouisedesign.com/2019/07/21/10-thingsyou-should-know-about-air-dry-clay/
Thrive. Daniel Popper. (n.d.). https://www.danielpopper.com/thrive
Louise, M. (2020, April 10). Air Dry Clay: 10 great tips to know before you start a project • maria louise design. Maria Louise Design. https://marialouisedesign.com/2019/07/21/10-thingsyou-should-know-about-air-dry-clay/
Thrive. Daniel Popper. (n.d.). https://www.danielpopper.com/thrive