Advanced Sculpture, 2014

Project 3: Interactivity

Process of Stress Release

For my final project I wanted to experiment once again with the idea of developing sculptures that were not only interactive but also engaged the audience in ways which would help them relieve stress. Through the act of repetitive action or the act of process, I wanted the participants, after interacting with each piece, to feel a sense of meditation from the experience. I also wanted to design pieces that captured the energy of the participants and their frustrations, and turn those non-physical emotions into actions in a physical plane.  Not only were the pieces created as modes of interactivity with the surrounding area, they were also expressive sculptures that captured, through action, the embodiment of stress. I completed this assignment by creating two interactive stress relief installations.   The first sculpture that I designed was a way for students to express their stress through the hammering of nails. I designed a panel that was installed in a public place for those who wanted to release stress to be able to interact with the piece. This experience was supposed to engage the participant in the ideas of process and meditation. Through the act of hammering multiple nails, repeatedly, over and over, the piece was designed to help put the participants’ minds at ease and to release tension. I created this piece so that the participants needed to use force to apply the nails to the panel, thereby taking internal energy and expressing it through repetitive action.

My second stress relieving work allowed students to hammer metal sheet with a small steel hammer. I designed a strong wooden boxed frame, covered by a sheet of metal, which allowed the participant to hammer out their frustrations on a physical object. This piece allowed pure force to be expressed and released. Unlike my first piece which focused on repetitive meditation and minimal force application, this sculpture was more about stress release through full physical exertion and allowing the participant to release maximum force as needed. This piece allowed the student to engage in destructive behavior through a controlled experience so that they wouldn’t take those activities elsewhere.

My two works engaged the idea of interactivity because they both needed participants to make the works complete. I needed physical engagement from the student body to make the sculptures function and have meaning. I provided the students with activities through my sculptures and through interactivity they provided the finished products. 

As I look back to critique my work I think I was successful in creating an expressive final product that had meaning.  My sculptures were connected to interactivity within the St. Mary's community.  My hammering artwork was successful but a little lackluster. If I were to do it again I would find a large tree stump or large natural piece of wood to use rather than the panel. Natural wood is more calming and creates more interest as a form. For my metal sheet sculpture I wish that I tested how much force was needed to rip the sheet when hammered. I should have made the metal more durable by adding more sheets or buying a thicker sheet. I was overall disappointed with the structural design for the box and metal sheet because they barely withstood an hour of being hammered. However, both of my works, as finished products, achieved what I had aimed for, and I am pleased with how they were interacted upon by the community.