2015
Atoll, 2015.
Polyurethane Surfboard Blank, (h) 1770 mm (w) 480 mm (d) 60 mm.
I am exploring the fragility of the foam substrate when it is without its protective covering that usually consists of thin layers of fibreglass and resin. I selected predominantly Stony Coral (the foundations of tropical reefs) as inspiration. I feel this species is representative of the conflict that exists between the inner and outer body: the polyp creates a hard shell out of calcium carbonate (corallite) to protect its soft, fragile body. By carving away at the foam blank I am exposing the essence of the material and making the object even more vulnerable, but also refining the form to take on a new identity.
Cay, 2015.
Polyurethane Surfboard Blank, (h) 1750 mm (w) 480 mm (d) 60mm.
Coalesce, 2015.
Neoprene, acrylic paint, kelp, hair. (h) 1310 mm (w) 400 mm (d) 400 mm.
I selected my old wetsuit to use as metaphor for the body, due to its inherent nature to provide a protective skin. I began ‘from the inside’ by unpicking all the stitching so that only the glue holds the seams together. By ripping the zip open I was able to break the covering and expose the inner body. Found objects that have washed up on my local surf beach are combined with my hair and the threads from the unpicked wetsuit. These elements are entangled together and encrusted in salt crystals (which represent a purification process). This structure pushes out from the open ‘wound’ at the back of the wetsuit while it is strung up, evoking the absent body and generating a feeling of suspension and timelessness. The tropical motifs were developed from memory (from surf trips I have taken) and combined with my direct response to nature – in line with my projection of what Utopia means to me. The outer crust is adorned with tropical visual cues, iconography that has an artificial quality that borders on kitsch. This emphasizes its desperate attempt to be cheerful (it is even cracking in places), representing a specific type of ideal image.
Disambiguation, 2015.
Neoprene, sea sand, resin, wire, (h) 1310 mm (w) 450 mm (d) 500 mm.
I transformed my old wetsuit into a prickly skin that represents a hostile exterior. I drew my inspiration from the sea urchin for its unique defensive outer shell that protects its soft and fragile inner body. I cast hundreds of sharp spikes of various lengths and thicknesses, made from organic matter (sea sand) combined with artificial matter (transparent resin used in the fiber-glassing of surfboards). Each spike is pierced through the neoprene from the inside. The piece is strung up by the shoulders, as if caught between two worlds, generating a feeling of being in limbo or uncertainty. The viewer is forced to navigate between the dangerous spikes which disrupts the viewer’s sense of personal space and orientation.
Emerge, 2015.
Surf wax, sea sand, spray paint, glitter. Installation View.
I am exploring my own relationship with the ocean (which I often use a place of escape) and my social world (which I am often trying to escape from). In an effort to disrupt the viewer’s reality and sense of location, I brought nature into my social realm. I created an artificial golden ocean, which I shaped from sea sand to replicate an undulating watery surface. The surface is spray painted into a golden crust and glittery highlights flicker on the peaks of the waves and the wake of a hundred fins. The fins are moulded from an FCS fin from my surfboard and cast in surf wax. These are placed upside-down, cutting through the surface of the “water”, converging and spreading apart as if they were a shiver of sharks or dolphin pod. The fins carry a dual meaning: the fin as a functional object provides stability and drive on the wave, however it can also carry a threatening visual image of a shark fin, or harmful cutting instrument when placed upside-down. This installation invites the viewer to discover an experience of immersion and a lyrical encounter with a watery peculiarity.
Existing inTwo Worlds, 2015.
Installation View.