The Choice
Main sculpture: steel rods, fabric, fabric stiffener and black paint, 250 x 175 x 180cm, 2020 / Shoes: foam, rubber, faux leather and gold fabric, 18 x 22 x 45cm, 2020.
The Choice 1, (preliminary drawing), pencil on paper, A4, 2020.
The Choice 2, (preliminary drawing), ink, pencil and pen on paper, A4, 2020.
The Choice (Maquette): plaster, fabric, fabric stiffener and black paint, 30 x 15cm, 2020.
The sculptural installation ‘The Choice’ incorporates two separate pieces: a gigantic black shrouded object, and two over-sized gold shoes.
The work invites the question of whether we choose to walk in the darkness or in the light: to wear the golden shoes or hide under the cover of darkness. There is a curiosity as to why the black monument feels threatening and intimidating, compared to the much smaller golden shoes which are joyful and playful.
Viewers of the work are encouraged to wear the golden shoes, and feel the joy, humour and delight of trying to walk in these over-the top objects. The shoes have been made through a laborious process of hand-stitching and contain intricate details mimicking actual shoes. The black shrouded sculpture is a threatening yet ambiguous object invoking wonder at how it has been constructed and brought into being.
The work come from a personal experience, of how dramatic events can change the spiritual atmosphere of a place. I am interested in why certain circumstances feel threatening, and others joyful, and how these emotions are intertwined with one another.