Artwork 1 : Unrelenting

Artwork 1

" Unrelenting "

 

Title: "Unrelenting"

Year: 2016

Dimension: 15 x 35 cm

Media: Acrylic on Chiseled Plaster, Wooden Base

The sculpture attempts to capture the visual essence of a dancing figure within the midst of their performance.  It portrays the fluid water-like movement of the contemporary dance juxtaposed by the structured angular lines of the figure's body. The limited cool toned palette evokes the saddened innocence of the dance and yet the vibrancy of the emotions. 

Work in Progress

 August 2015

The initial process started with the research into the history of sculpting and iconic artist figures that helped in paving the way to contemporary art within the medium of sculpting. The artists featured includes the likes of Barbara Hepworth, Constantin Brancusi and Henry Moore all of which personified modern abstract art within art history. Following this research are several photographs of human figures in the middle of action as the idea was to draw inspiration from a person's movement and emotion.

August 2015

 Each figure chosen was then drawn to its bare outline, shaped into abstract lines then sketched into a raw sculpture idea. Out of the three chosen figures, I personally liked the female performer mid dance as it showcased the athleticism in an otherwise feminine and delicate art of traditional ballet. 

August 2015

The sculpture idea was then made into a Marquette made of clay. This aided me in viewing what was physically possible for the shape to be and helped as a guideline for the final output. With the Marquette, I was able to simplify the sketch into a more feasible design that would be easier to 

 execute and possessed a strong sturdy base. 

 September - November 2015

The bulk of the work was in the actual sculpting process which can be read through the written text as it provides a detailed reflection of the work. . Prior to this, I have never sculpted nor had experience in dealing with dimensional media. Due to this, the process was challenging but entertaining  as chiseling away plaster became therapeutic . Even though I was virtually unfamiliar with the medium, it was an enjoyable experience because I could feel myself gaining more skill and ease every time I worked on the sculpture. Once I was satisfied with the shape and had sanded it smoothly, I sketched a design to paint onto the plaster surface. 

November 2015

As the painting progressed, I tinkered with the design and color palette to make it more cohesive and minimal. It can evidently be noted that the final output draws inspiration from the researched artists in terms of its visual features. The end product is a physical interpretation of the dancing ballet figure in the shape of a plaster sculpture painted with acrylic. Its front and back sides emulate different energies with the front being more calm and fluid in motion while the back is more rhythmic due to its clash of colors and patterns.