MATERIAL EXPLORATION

I'm beginning to think more about how we naturally interact with an object, or a garment, in a different manner when we change its material. I found the 'Lick and Lather' work by Janine Antoni to be extremely intriguing, particularly as she spoke of her sculptures so intimately.

"In terms of the creative process I think that I begin with a kind of conceptual structure. That I know to lick myself in chocolate means something, or to wash myself in soap means something. When I feel sort of comfortable with the security of a very, hopefully, rigorous conceptual structure, then I can actually let go of that kind of thinking. And when I go to wash or lick I’m not necessarily thinking about if I lick this area it means one thing or another, but really trying to get intimate with the process..."


Janine Antoni, 1993

What's interesting is how Antoni was able to let go of her conscious thoughts, allowing her to free up and respond naturally to the materials. The way she bathed with the soap sculpture and the areas she licked on the chocolate were autonomous, which is the only way to measure a subconsious interaction.

In class, we worked with basic materials to create a replica of an item of our clothing - documenting the way we interacted with the changed substance. I made a 'pair of stockings' from toothpicks, tape, hair gel and soap.







'Putting on' the 'stockings' no longer involved the typical dressing process. Instead, the material dictated my process, since in each instance it was a material that I was familiar with and so anticipated what would happen. The hair gel was my first brave act. Though it had been moulded into the shape of a pair of stockings, I proceeded to run it through my hair, as that was an association that made sense.






'Putting on' my toothpick stockings:




'Putting on' my tape stockings:



'Putting on' my soap stockings:





During this exercise, I felt as though the materials that had the most substance to them were the most effective in terms of being 'dressed' or rather, 'putting (something) on'. The hair gel and the soap both left a substance and had to applied in a certain manner and then also removed from the skin. Applying the tape stockings was interesting, as I automatically wrapped the tape around my leg in order for them to stay on. If I had continued that wrapping motion to cover my legs, would I have felt like I was wearing them?