Inhabitations of space

2006-11-17T15:29:00.000Z

My recent work consists of a long and laborious process of fabrication, which is still evident in the final piece. I am interested in the work of Tara Donavon where the work can be appreciated as a piece of art, but also for the sheer intensity of the time it must have taken to make it. The reproduction of a serial form can also be seen as a reference to Minimalism.

Using a regular material like masking tape ensures limits as it becomes a sculptural form, so I began to experiment with various methods of making it more solid (resin, varnish and finally latex) Latex strengthened the form but left some room for manipulation.

The work over the year became very obsessive and took up all my time eventually, and at some stage I seemed to lose where I was with the work and what it was all about but there was always something in it that fascinated me, the feel, the smell, the look, the sheer madness and a sense of achievement as it grew.

When starting a piece I’ve usually got a general idea what shape or form I want it to be but it can often change. The choice of stopping has nothing to do with finishing a piece in the normal sense. I can go back to a piece and put more on it without compromising the meaning. In this way, there is often evidence of previous pieces inside another piece. Working this way I enjoy the freedom of flexibility.

The window piece articulates the architectural structure of the space, while the freestanding piece displays the strength and flexibility of the medium. The installation as a whole is intended to use the sculptures to inhabit the space.

Michael Murphy

Inhabitations of space