Phase A: Altered Books
Although both projects dealt with serial planes I found the altered book one to be easier. Perhaps I liked the idea of taken an item that was already known and being able to morph it into a figure that serves a completely different purpose. The book assignment gave me that ability to see what I can create if I peeled away and carved at bits and pieces where as the white serial planes I was given the materials and told to build the structure instead of altering it. Maya Lin says she has art at like a catalyst. I believe this after looking at the structures she has created, from a carved book to the Vietnam memorial. I tried to have her works inspire me by using very simple ideas to create works that are expanded or stretched.
The altered book I created was cut in the shape of an anatomical heart. But once the book was open and the pages were spread the figure of the heart was lost and instead you are able to see the negative space formed by cutting away pieces of the pages. And these spaces formed what almost looks like a shell, when it is placed properly as a table piece. I enjoyed this project a lot, I felt like the taking away from the book and being able to create something new was quite refreshing and even a little relaxing. While other’s had difficulty with this project I would have to say it was one of my favorites. Not even because I enjoy the outcome, but more so I enjoyed the process.
The white serial planes were a lot more difficult for me to work with. I had ideas and inspiration from a wide range of things including the Australian opera house, bmx and skateboarding ramps from other countries to buildings in general. I wanted to create a structure that had two different sides to it. One side of my piece shows the inspiration from the ramps with thin strips of planes twisting and turning to show movement crawling from one of the sides to the top. While the other side shows the inverse of the figure and the inner workings, I used the glue from my glue gun as a tool and had it become a part of the piece. I wanted this side to look as if it had been pulled apart and the other as if it was being stretched out. The piece was considered abstract the whole time, compared to the book where at times could be considered representational. I also allowed there to be space in between each plane so that it will add height and the space in-between will create a shadow that shows depth.
I thought both of the projects were very helpful for me to ease my way into working in 3D. I did have more trouble portraying the ideas in my head and sketches for the white serial planes. But I think if I mapped it out better and did some math behind it, the structures could have been completed and the end result would have been more true to the sketches. I thought the altered book project is something that like Maya Lin I got inspiration from and could see myself doing it again.
