One of the assignments I have from my Space/Materiality class was to read a chapter from the book Experiencing Architecture by Steen Eiler Rasmussen. After reading the first chapter “Basic Observations,” we were told to create a sculptural piece in response to what we read. I created this piece of transparent plastic sculpture.
The reading talks about materiality and how one material looks can be very different from how it feels. One example the author, Rasmussen, gives was a pedestrian’s walk looks very soft and textured from the eye but it is actually very hard and concrete when one steps on it or touches it. I am also very fond of the idea of the author that “art should not be explained; art should be experienced.” Therefore, the responding sculpture I created is not merely for people to view from a static point or merely around it. Although the sculpture can stand on its own on a surface, the piece is also meant to be held on the hand and turned around. The holes on it can also be poked with fingers and the curves created can be traced with the hand of the audience. An ideation drawing can be found at the end of the post.
For the sculptural piece, I used a piece of plastic and candle as fire source to heat the plastic. As the plastic is heated, it gets softer and is able to be bent into different shapes. Using this technique, I created the wavy edges of the piece. I also used this technique to create a base for the sculpture in order for it to stand on its own. However, it was challenging for me to make the two sides of the sculpture balance enough for both sides have the same weight so it can stand.
In addition to the sculptural respond to the reading and it being an interactive piece, I found another use for the installation while photographing it. As it has various wavy surface and is transparent, it serves as a great filter for photography. Below are a few examples of pictures I took through the sculpture.
