My final piece for the Murray Hill project was inspired by the clock hanging in the barber shop. Rather than being just a clock, it is a memory and a way to preserve the barber shop’s history. Although the owner has plans to redecorate the whole shop to keep up with the more modern trends and the changes in the neighborhood, the clock will remain out of respect to her family and their history. Originally, I wanted to create a short film to document my interviews and the process of exploring Murray Hill. However, due to time restraints, I decided to take a more hands-on approach and create a sculpture.
The sculpture is made out of dominantly shattered glass from broken alcohol bottles. The shattered glass glued together represents the pressures that may try to crack the barber shop, yet the shop is strong enough to endure. The choice of alcohol bottles is to represent the newer generation of young college graduates and the opening of newer bars disrupting with the harmony of the neighborhood in some perspectives. The two portraits of the barber shop during the 1900s vs the 2000s is to showcase just how little the shop has changed. The ideals of the shop are fierce and prideful. Through my piece, I hope to encourage audiences to think back to their roots and realize/understand their histories and traditions that helped influence the person he or she is today.
