BFA Show

“Ambiguous Apparatus”

2019

“Ambiguous Apparatus” is an experiment to create objects that immerse the viewer and have them question the function and origin of the piece. The sculptural forms allude to a strange and unknown technology utilized by otherworldly civilizations. The installation of these forms acts as a window into the world where these objects were found;  provoking curiosity and imagination in the viewer and raising questions including the function, origin, and setting of the objects. Perhaps ideas of infrastructure, culture, social structure, atmospheric conditions, and technological advancement arise, resulting in specific and distinctive traits about the world where these objects were found.

The scale and shape of my forms are inspired by Minoan storage vessels from the Neolithic and Bronze Age.  The tops, nodes, and base  incorporate modern and futuristic components derived from transformer bushing and power station hardware. The results is a  retro-futuristic aesthetic. The surface variation is achieved by using flashing slips combined with atmospheric firings with wood, salt, and soda kilns, creating a weathered and aged effect that promotes the idea of an archaic origin. 

These objects contract the aesthetics of ancient technology with those of modern technology to create a visually intriguing body of work that emulates a system of unfamiliar technical machines.  This work is an exercise combining contrasting familiar and culturally ingrained aesthetics together to create a foreign and intriguing form. It is also a study into how variations made to surface treatment, profile design, and proportions has onto the narrative and feelings generated.