Intersection
Description
Intersection is representative of the systems of infrastructure that allowed society to keep moving in Covid. The piece is made entirely out of the handles of a butterfly knife. It addresses the sentiment that these systems allowed us to find unity and growth through separation, as the forms come from far to close and rise in height overall, yet it also addresses the collision of these systems of infrastructure through the intertwining of form. It is both stable and chaotic.
Reflection
The microgrant allowed me to work with objects that were symbolically important to the end result and meaning of the sculpture. Without the grant I never would have had the opportunity to use a 140 dollar knife as a starting point to create the sculpture. In making this object, I wanted to use the handles of the butterfly knife to convey safety, and represent infrastructure that was designed around safety. Without the grant I wouldn’t have been able to use these forms and convey the same meaning. With the forms I took from the knife after I took it apart and reassembled them in my own fashion that was elegant, I was able to use the forms in a different way than they were intended and create a new function for them that was beautiful and packed with meaning. To finalize the sculpture and unify the pieces as one object I use the oxy acetylene torch and a feeding rod of mild steel to weld them together. Without the use of msu facilities and the metal shop specifically, as well as the flexibility of my sculpture class taught by laura cloud, I never would have been able to create this object. I am appreciative to the create microgrants team for the time they have set aside to help me through this process and the money that I got left over from this grant that will go towards furthering my practice as I save up for a studio and pay for the expenses of going to college out of state. With my work, I hope to represent the world honestly and I feel without the grant, I wouldn’t be able to afford the materials to make my version of honesty. I think opportunities like this are important for young artists as they spur exposure and create a celebration for the arts which can sometimes be lost in the grand scheme of the daily human experience, and allow for new bigger opportunities for fresh minds.