Birdfeeder (2014)
Ciment fondu, mdf, polysteyrene, metal rod. 158 x 30 x 30 cm
I have made several sculptures by modifying polystyrene male mannequin heads. The head signifies cognitive function and rationality, and as such is an apt form to work with. The choice of male over female head was unconscious, but I think it was because the male head is historically more authoritative than the female, and the connotations of manipulating a female head are different to that of the male. This head was inspired both by traditional sculptural busts and middle-class garden ornaments. This is combined with an interest in the overlap between art and design, where design objects are equally valued both for artistic expression and function, and art objects have both a practical and aesthetic function. The removal of the face leaves the head without the elements that are most expressive, confounding the expectations of a traditional sculptural bust.