Space/Materiality: Final Project: Ecological Elements

A) Identifying Information

Title: A Forest to A Cemetary

Materials: Cardboard, Plaster, Rope, Toothpicks

Dimensions: 8X 10 X 10

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B) The Images

The Final Piece

Front View:

Back View:

Top View:

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Plaster Meeting With the Inhabitable Space

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The Altered Cast

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The Inhabited Place

Front View:

Back View:

The Function:

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The Practice Polyhedron + Templates

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The Practice Plaster Cube

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The Process Pictures

Construction of the Mold: First of all, I crafted my plaster cube using a thick piece of foam cord. I corrected the material accordingly and taped it down to prevent any leaks. After that, I stuck the leaves I found in the garden using vaseline.

Construction of the Platform: I created a platform for the cube to sit on its own. I constructed it out of several sheets of cardboard by stacking them on top of each other. I also covered wrapped its edges by wrapping it using a corrugated sheet. To secure everything, I pinned everything down using toothpicks.

Construction of the Bottom: I cut out the layout of a deconstructed dodecahedron from a piece of cardboard and corrugated it accordingly to gain some value. Then I cut out some more pentagons from each panel but by only leaving the middle one solid.

Construction of the Top: Similarly to the previous step, I cut out the layout of a deconstructed dodecahedron from a piece of cardboard and corrugated it accordingly to gain some value. Then I cut out more pentagons from each panel, gaining some negative space.

Construction of the Fasteners: I cut out verticle pieces of cardboard, corrugated them from the middle, and marked the placements for the holes. These pieces allowed me to make more solid and safe connections between the panels of the dodecahedron.

Connecting All: I connected the bottom and the top of the object using the fasteners I did. I placed them on the edges of the object and used rope to saw the two edges together. I only left one panel unconnected to create a gateway in order to place the cube inside and remove it when necessary.

Placing the Cube: Finally, I placed the cube in and sat it on top of its platform. I got the cube in from the gateway I intentionally crafted.

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C) Written Reflection

1) Name the polyhedrons you chose to work with your project and their corresponding elements.  Then name the contemporary ecological issue or concern you researched in relation to that element in one sentence only.  Write a sentence about how the elements relate to the contemporary ecological concern.

In this project, I chose to work with the Hexahedron symbolizing the earth element, and the Dodecahedron symbolizing the vital force. My focused ecological concern I have been researching is “deforestation.” Deforestation is directly related to the earth element as the destruction of the landscape and it also refers to vital force since trees are the main powerhouse of the earth because they filter the air, produce oxygen.

2) Discuss the different kinds of research you did on your chosen ecological concern: what did you learn, discover, explore in terms of observational, traditional knowledge-based, and cultural/associative research to inform your project?

In the project, I focused on the ecological concern “deforestation,” by making observational, traditional, and cultural research. I started my research by observing the surrounding around my apartment complex. Due to the extreme limitations in Turkey, unfortunately, I can not physically leave my apartment building. However, according to the observations I did over the course of accommodating in the apartment that I am currently living in, I often see snakes slithering tough the path of our apartment complex or sheeps grazing around the property. Our apartment complex locates in a region of Ankara, where it used to be considered as suburban five years ago but slowly turned into a town with the construction of apartments, schools, and hospitals. In a situation like that, I can say that we are living in company with lots of farm animals. It comes from the fact that authorities kicked out these exotic animals from their habitat by defrosting their nests.  Underneath, there used to be a valley surrounded by a ranch with lots of farm animals that are still wandering around. Secondly, I did traditional research to find some solid facts about my selected concern. The sites I analyzed show countless cases of deforestation all around Turkey. First of all,  they mention that urbanization has a significant impact on deforestation in big cities like Ankara and Istanbul. Especially the construction of bridges in Istanbul had a destructive effect on the surrounding woods and the sea. Also, “Woodchopping in Ida Mountains” is a regrettable event that happened several years ago in a suburban part of Turkey where it used to locate thousands of trees that produced a significant portion of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Another case is the great fire in Mugla. It lasted for several weeks and burned down thousands of trees along the coast. Some people say that the government actually started the fire anonymously, intending to obtain some empty space near the sealine to build luxury resorts and beach clubs. Finally, I analyzed some art pieces to how this issue is depicted in the art world. I have found a series that has been done by an Edinburgh scientist, Dr. Woodhouse, with the reason of attracting attention to the issue of deforestation. The artist removed trees from famous art pieces like Constable’s The Haywain,  Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte, and Van Gogh’s Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun by using photoshop. He also stated that “It is crucial that trees do not disappear from our landscapes. Trees are a vital global resource, providing fuel, shelter, clean water and food for many species including people, and helping to maintain a healthy atmosphere by harvesting carbon dioxide.”

3) Discuss how your research informed your material choices, choices of how to connect those materials, and your overall design.

My research made me aware of the organic patterns and shapes that nature possesses, so it pushed me to incorporate them into my art, like the beehive shape. For color, I decided to go with more nude colors, this way I aimed to represent the trees. Something major I found out about deforestation is the fact that recycling is vital for reverse this process. To support this belief, I only used items that I have been collecting in my house and manipulated them accordingly.

4) Describe the atmosphere you tried to create on the interior inhabitable space and how this relates to the ecological issue you researched.  How did you go about creating an atmosphere?  Describe the feeling or associations you hope to evoke by the relationships between the plaster mass and the polyhedral volume of the inhabitable structure, and how this feeling relates to the issue you researched.  Discuss your use of texture, negative and positive space, and the way you designed the plaster mass to meet the inhabitable structure.

The shape I decided to use for the inhabitable structure is Dodecahedron, which stands for the vital force. Oxygen is the main component of any organism to function properly which can only be produced by trees by the filtering system. I intentionally carved out windows to make the sculpture look like an air filter, where carbon dioxide enters the cell and exits as oxygen. I adopted the beehive texture from the filters of modern-day air fresheners and the cell shape of trees. I also wanted this piece to be exposed to light as much as it can because trees are using sunlight to clear the air. I designed a platform for the plaster mass to fit securely to the inhabitable structure and to display it on a more creative level. The idea of creating a platform sparked up in my mind when I saw a documentary about cells and how perfectly they attach to one other, so  I crafted this stand where the plaster mass can comfortably fit into or on it. 

5) Discuss how you addressed any of the “other considerations” or other requirements from the project sheet in your project, such as threshold(s), energy flows, light, color, orientation, and anything else you wish to discuss.

My plaster cast which is shaped as a Hexahedron symbolizes the earth element. I engraved a leaf pattern all around it in order to visually represent the floral concept of the sculpture. In my research, I focused on deforestation and figured out that it causes a decrease in oxygen levels. Because oxygen and the existence of forests are essential for the existence of every living being, I want to represent this portion of the ecological issue using the Dodecahedron as a symbol for the vital force. The object has a color palette including almost all shades of brown, which I inspired by the body of trees. Also, I wanted to recycle my paper materials by repurposing them by using them in this project, this way I aimed to reduce the negative effects of deforestation and spread awareness. 

6) To you, what is the most important, strong, or exciting aspect of your project or your process for this project?

Something exciting and strong about my project would be the plaster cast I have made. The cube has leaf texture imprinted all around it. I maintained this texture by implanting leaves into the mold. First of all, I went to my backyard to collect some leaves. Then, I tried to make them stick to the surfaces of the mold using vaseline. After that, I carefully poured the solution into the mold. Finally, I deconstructed the mold and peeled off the leaves revealing the spectacular texture. 

7) What is something you’d like to improve or build on from this project?

Something I would like to improve is the material choice. It is well known that Turkey is currently in lockdown. As a result, I only had the chance to use materials that I have been collecting in my household. If had the chance, I really would like to shift the materiality of the object by using actual wood to sculpt my inhabitable space. Also, I would like to use a laser cutting machine to engrave leaf patterns all across the wooden outer shell. Lastly, I would like to add roots climbing up from the bottom of the object using wire. All these updates could make me transfer the earth element in a more vivid way.