Nature and Society

Essential Question

To what extent do nature and humans control each other?

After some reflection on the components of the present world, I identified nature and humans as two opposing forces. Humans propagate industrialism, construction, and the transformation of the Earth’s basic elements, ultimately poisoning the world with endless waste. Whereas, nature gives and takes elements from this Earth in a recyclable pattern. Because of their opposition, there is a clash between both which I wanted to express through this series of works. Along their opposition, there are glimmers of a symbiotic relationship sprinkled throughout the works.

As I was making these works, I experimented with the processes of adding and subtracting textures that built upon the message. For my piece, “Insatiable Desire,” I explored the option of printing the details of the eyes in layers for documentation to represent the progression of human control, but printing didn’t turn out to be the best option for an accurate display. Moreover, I repurposed earlier works as well. For example, I added the peelings of "Unseen Pain" to a plaster tongue to express the connection between earth and taste. I spent time planning through digital designs and 3D modeling allowing me to explore varying threads, angles, and themes.

Peace

Materials: 

Using the plaster mold from a previous series, I filled the mold half-way with slip to create a bulb shape. The lid was made with earthenware clay. The entire structure is covered in (under)glazes with a little modeling clay person on top. 

Process: 

Using a plaster mold of a sphere, I used slip clay to build the walls. I used blue and purple underglazes and layered on shades of blue acrylic paint. The person was formed by hand.

Inspiration and Explanation: 

The tones of the blues and purples resemble the ocean. In combination, the lid's protrusions mimic waves. The little clay person is representative of any person relaxing in the calm of the sea. The piece, overall, highlights a positive view of nature and society, specifically the peace attained in nature.

Materials:

I used earthenware clay for the eye petals. The details are from acrylic paints. The stand is of foam and metal. The antenna is made of varying metal thicknesses.

Process:

I formed the structure of the petals using a pre-made mold and continued to shape the petal further. Then, I mapped out the eye, and added details such as the lids and pupil. After firing, the eye petals were configured into a flower using a stand. A rainbow pattern with an eye on top was painted on. A smaller stand was made from aluminum to hold the metal antenna. 

Inspiration and Explanation: 

The inspiration came from the book Botany of Desire where Michael Pollan uses the tulip as a symbol of human desires. He explains how humans have manipulated the tulip and flowers to please the masses. In turn, the flower’s existence and survival is guaranteed. In order to gain popularity for a flower, it must be appealing to look at. The eyes represent that dual sided relationship. The variety of colors represent the entirety of flower species. 

Drooling

Materials: 

Foil and scrap fabric form covered in plaster sheets begins the foundation. Layers of plaster build the shape. Then, decorated with paint, pieces taken from "Unseen Pain," and gloss varnish.

Process:

I took multiple sheets of aluminum foil and shaped them into cylinders. I made one tube and closed off one end. I stuffed the tube with scrap fabrics. I began shaping the tongue adding and taking out scraps as needed. When done, I closed off all the ends and covered the form with soaked plaster sheets leaving the wider side open. Once dry, ripping the foil off from the inside leaves a hollow shell. I made batches of plaster and either dotted, plopped, or splattered the plaster on the top and bottom. I formed ridges on the side and edges. I used more plaster to paste pieces of "Unseen Pain." I finished everything with painted details and varnish.

Inspiration and Explanation:

One of society’s most prevalent desires is flavor: the joy of a delicious meal or snack. What society sees is the food itself and its ingredients, but not the most basic elements of earth and water. With the tongue and earth elements, I will connect the two. Beyond helping grow ingredients, the earth’s variety of climates pushed forward the diversity of cultures and respective food. The earth is where sustenance begins, and the tongue is where it ends. Because the layers of "Unseen Pain" were peelable, I took the opportunity to recycle them and have them represent the components of food: soil and water. 

Maturation

(the ripening of fruit)

Materials:

I used earthenware clay for the orb. I covered the original surface decoration with tissue paper and acrylic paint. Then, I pasted green moss in layers. Thicker metallic wire bands were placed from hole to hole. The stand was painted black with wire bands punctured in.

Process:

The orb frame was made two years ago. I made each half using a plaster sphere covered in plastic. After the clay reached a leather texture, the halves were connected. Then, slices and holes were carved out with consideration of inward collapsion. The following process is detailed in materials. 

Inspiration and Explanation:

In this piece, I reused the structure of a past work. I wanted to build upon its plain look, and make the orb/Earth more realistic. Adding the mossy texture brought it to life. I wanted to show the grips human creation has on the Earth. This is represented by the metal. It intertwines the structure. I was hoping to make the wire look as if it is dragging the holes. The metal rings are a form of suffocating the liveliness of the moss. The title Maturation refers to how the relationship between man and nature has developed.

Unseen Pain

Materials: 

The media is earthenware clay, sand, epoxy glue, and acrylic paint.

Process:

First, I scraped the layers of moss and glue already on the orb away. I patiently then added 3 layers of brown tones with sand. Then, I added layers of blue paint mixed with a range of yellows and pinks. To create a wave texture, epoxy glue was added. The final layer was the land structures piped with sand and regular paint. The final touch was peeling the layers away to create lacerations. These lacerations were filled with red acrylic paint and clear gooey glue.

Inspiration and Explanation:

Each time I reuse this orb, my goal is to make a more realistic version of the globe. The lacerations are representative of the dents we make in the Earth that result in its suffering. From another perspective, it is the blood we have on our hands for our actions.

Homogeny

(correspondence between parts or organs due to descent from the same ancestral type)

Materials: 

The entire ring structure is made of thick black wire and thinner gray wire.

Process:

Starting with 4 black wire rings decreasing in size to fit four areas of my pointer finger: the base, underneath the knuckle, above the knuckle, and underneath the nail. Connecting each ring is an organic spiral shape made of thinner wire.  

Inspiration and Explanation:

I believe the purpose of a ring (an adorning piece) is representative of how humans use nature. Things like flowers or animals are showpieces for us, a decoration, under our control just like how a ring is. The organic spiral shape of the metal represents nature itself against human control (the finger).

Spillage

Materials: 

The media is earthenware clay, glaze, and black spray paint. The background was a metal sheet.

Process:

This was an experiment for multiple reasons. I wanted to practice draping solid, ceramic pieces into a fluid structure. Balancing each piece on the central cup was essential to achieving a layered fluid form. I added a sheet metal floor under the piece to gain a blurry reflection to develop my documentation skills. The tall weeds coming from the central form were to observe the layout of the parts of a piece. The holes on both black and white forms were a trial-error process of taking into account weight distribution and collapse.

Inspiration and Explanation:

As I made the piece, I realized how the contrast of black and white paralleled oil contamination. The pieces of black both sharp and fluid exhibit the same qualities of oil as it drips down the pure, untouched surfaces of the white base. Overall, this piece highlights just a piece of how those in power destroy the precious parts of the world.

Evolution 

Materials: 

The first tier is made of earthenware with a superficial layer of grout colored with acrylic paint. The second tier is a clay structure covered in acrylic paint with a gloss finish. The third tier is again clay originally covered in underglazes and touched up with acrylic paints. The materials between the third and fourth tier are fabric and sheet metal. The fourth tier is made of clay and is painted with fabric glued on. The top stack is clay blocks with gold acrylic paint.

Process:

Each tier was individually made on the wheel or by hand. First, they were painted to add a 2d base. Then, they were built upon with textures and finishes.

Inspiration and Explanation:

The first tier is ground level, the foundation of the world. The next tier follows that, water. The third tier is an introduction to the diversity of the world on top of its foundation with its abundance of color. The fourth tier is a representation of the elite of society who use the resources from the ground to gain status. The final stack is the most precious of the resources, metals. The fabric and metal in the cave between the 3rd and 4th tiers represent the encased materials used by the elite. The stackability of all tiers was influenced by the stacking of rocks.

Paper Weight

Materials: 

I formed the tree from earthenware glaze and layered (under)glazes. On top, I added layers of acrylic paint. To support the 3D-printed sphere, I made an aluminum ring. Rubber cement was used to attach the paper.

Process: 

The tree itself was shaped from a log of clay with painted details. To balance the orb, a ring of aluminum foil sits on top of the stump. Ironically, the sphere is hollow and lightweight. Layers of rubber cement and small ripped-up homework assignments adorn the orb. Together, the piece balances.

Inspiration and Explanation: 

I wanted to highlight the progression from nature to a typical man-made product. The connection of paper to the tree is one made consciously in reflection but is not visually shown. Here, I hope to promote active visual recollection. 

Roots

Materials: 

The media is earthenware clay and three glazes.

Process:

I flattened slabs of clay. I took measurements with no plan for size and cut out each side. I attached using slip, and I used a ruler to flatten each side. After drying, I broke the structure with a rubber hammer. Each piece was glazed and fired.

Inspiration and Explanation:

For this piece, I opted for simplicity. I wanted the structure and the colors to speak for itself. The gold brick shape is a representation of greed, but the dullness with glazing gives the shape a more earthy tone. In this way, I could say that the desire for precious items is devoid of meaning when considering that everything starts in the ground. The breakage is representative of imperfections. The hollowness emphasizes the devoid desire for luxury.

Burden

Materials: 

The media is air dry clay, acrylic paint, cardboard, metallic paper, and metallic paint.

Process:

I began by making three heads. I made a plaster mold to make more heads. As I molded each head, I made edits to make each face unique. The board covered in gold paper has layers of diluted brown paint with an air dry clay drop glued on. Finally, metallic copper paint was used to blend the drop into the board.

Inspiration and Explanation:

The base was inspired by the Paris catacombs, except I wanted each head to have an expression instead of plain skulls. The entire work emphasizes the crushing weight that the lower-class experiences under the control of the higher for their own gain. The gain is money represented by gold and copper. However, this gold is tainted by the diluted paint (the dirt of the lower class).

Crush

Materials: 

Chain links and wire forms the earrings. The structure is foam, air dry clay, caulk, and metallic paint.

Process:

The gold structure is made of foam covered in a thin layer of air dry clay. Metallic paint covered the layers. The details on the bottom were added by dabbing the tip of a needle into caulk to shape the caulk. I made a U-shape with thick wire and piereced that through structure. With links, I made a chain. A portion of the chain uses links from old necklaces. 

Inspiration and Explanation:

The shape is inspired by jhumkas. The designs on the bottom resemble mendhi. The Indian influence on jewelry is intriguing to me because the jewelry is meant to be gaudy and an indication of wealth. I wanted to highlight the weight of waste      that sits on the ear. The chain connects to the front and back distributing the weight, so it doesn't feel heavy, just looks heavy.

Suffocation 

Materials: 

The body and the additional organic structures are made of earthenware clay. The organic structures were darkened with diluted black acrylic paint. It rests on four pieces of fabric

Process:

 I began with forming a head and adding the eyes, mouth etc. Then, the body came together. I made the additional structures last to ensure they would fit the opening in the chest.

Inspiration and Explanation:

The facial expression is blank to highlight giving up to nature. The idea of suffocation comes from the piece being submerged in layers of fabric. The irony is a man drowning in a man-made product. The transition from blue fabric representative of water to bright orange highlights the cyclical process of what society has made coming back to haunt us. 

Oblivion

Materials: 

The cone was made with an aluminum cone filled with scrap fabric with plaster poured on top. The spikes are made of air-dry clay. All these pieces are covered in acrylic paints and gloss + matte medium. The globe is made from an aluminum foil core covered in peeled pieces of “Unseen Pain."

Process: 

I made a cylinder of aluminum foil and stuffed the tube with scrap fabrics.I covered the form with soaked plaster sheets. Once dry, ripping the foil off from the inside leaves a hollow shell. With a plaster mold of a diamond-shaped piece, I made multiple, which were glued to the cone. For the globe, I glued pieces of "Unseen Pain” into an aluminum ball. I finished everything with painted details and varnish.

Inspiration and Explanation: 

The size difference between the oblivion and the Earth emphasizes Earth's destiny of cracking in the heat society sustains. The gold shimmers represent a glimmer of hope if society turns in the right direction.