ARTIST STATEMENT
What is the true cost of art? Globally, the arts are one of the most underestimated industries in modern society. Financially, culturally and socially, arts make a significant impact and yet, it’s the first industry to be devalued in a time of crisis. Opening Night represents endless strength and grit the arts hold from the renaissance period to contemporary society (covid). Opening Night’s symbolic deep cracks and subtle hints of red tie into the epitome of strength artists possess throughout history, while the mask is an abandoned reminder that covid is no match for the enduring nature of the arts.
ARTWORK PROCESS
A cast was taken of my brother's torso, to which I then applied raku clay in a special hand-building method I have refined this year in my art practice. I applied earthen tones of underglaze to the biscuit-fired sculpture and finally a clear glaze to finish the artwork. Ideally this sculpture should be installed on location at a beach shoreline, however for the purpose of a gallery exhibition it can be exhibited in an open box filled with sand to replicate the installation and accompanied by the photograph of it on location.
