For this project, I was inspired by the twisting, curving, and hanging qualities from various 3D sketches I had experimented with previously. This piece, made from welded steel and adorned with hand dipped candles, quartz crystals, and thread, serves as an invitation for a moment of intimacy. Reminiscing on imagery related to antique elevator doors and textile work in prayer rugs/tapestries, I wanted this to rethink how an object can serve formally as a portal, an entry way, or as a shrine. I have been thinking a lot about sacred space and how that concept can be revealed through both physical and emotional endeavors, which was the guiding motivation behind wanting it to be suspended a little above the average person’s line of sight. While viewing, one can be encapsulated in the curves and lines as it forces them to be still. In an appropriate setting, one could light a candle or an incense, they could bring a special object to tie to the shrine, and/or they could bring luxurious materials to drift over the bars. The purpose of this sculpture is to live a life of quietness that extends beyond its physical boundaries.
My approach to thinking about transparency and density reveals itself subtly. I correlate transparency with a feeling of daintiness, light, and fragility like the small thread twisting and curving around the steel. On the other hand, density is heavy and dark which directly refers to the nature of steel. I aimed to make these two ideas exist harmoniously in this piece, like Yin and Yang— black and white.
Welded Steel, Hand-Dipped Candles, Thread
2023
Seed of Life Chair, Wood and Ceramic Mosaic seat, 2023
