“Yin and Yang”
I am a cloud-watcher. I run my fingers through the smooth grass and coarse soil. I have always appreciated natural beauty in the world around me. I actually stop to admire and smell the roses. Naturally, my design aesthetic has evolved to focus on capturing the beauty of natural forms. I believe that texture plays an integral role in the beauty of 3D work. Throughout the semester, my work has relied on texture, especially juxtaposition of textures, since all of my pieces have had neutral, monochromatic color. I also think that elegant forms successfully capture the beauty of nature.
For this final piece, my surrounding environment inspired me to create a figure that mimicked the dynamic forms I saw around me. I was extremely influenced by the way wind bends trees sideways during a storm, and by the way wind catches underneath a sail and blows it outwards into a magnificent curve. As a dancer, I was also motivated by the way modern dancers create elegant, expressive forms with their backs, legs, necks, and arms. I wanted to be able to capture the exaggerated arches and fluidity of the human figure by creating a figurative sculpture that utilized other materials to emphasize my aesthetic goals.
In order to do so, I began with a female dancer-like silhouette with her back strongly arched, and her arms grasping a cloth. I wanted to express beauty of the female form as well as the balance needed between humanity and the natural world. This initial design worked well; however, some of the curves of the figure were interrupting the fluidity of the overall curve, and the cloth was disrupting the silhouette. I then considered gestures that could accentuate movement, fluidity and balance and immediately thought about using a circular format. Beginning with a wire circle allowed me to alter the human figure until it conformed to the rounded composition. This meant that the human figure would be slightly abstracted so that arms and legs would continue the circular curve. I still wanted to incorporate fabric, so I decided to have parts of the figure morph into cloth.
I was very inspired by Manuel Neri during my design process, so I wanted to work with burlap and plaster. I really admire the way he leaves his markings and allows the material to show through, instead of sanding down the figure to make it smooth. Choosing to sculpt out of plaster on a smaller scale was difficult; however, it allowed me to create a textural figure since the material preserved my finger and tool markings. I was able to express balance by creating harmony between my two vastly different materials. The contrast created by the rigidity of the plaster juxtaposed with the fluidity of the fabric was even more striking when I combined the two elements.
The two differing halves of the circle became yin and yang, separate, yet intertwined. In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang describe how seemingly opposite forces are unified and interdependent in the natural world. In my sculpture, yin is humanity and yang is our environment–– these opposing forces are both strong; however, when balance is achieved, coexistence is obtained.
When I had completed the forms of the figure and cloth, I decided that I wanted to again turn to my environment and select colors to apply to the piece. I chose dark teal and green hues that are found in the water, as well as fuchsia and plum hues seen in the breathtaking sunsets on campus.
While I think my overall process was successful and I am pleased with the results of my work, I wish that I had had more time to experiment with applying color. I would have liked to experiment with tinting the plaster; however, I did not want to apply too many techniques to one piece. I think that I achieved my goals of creating a beautiful, fluid figure while capturing the dynamic forces of nature.