Research

Olafur Eliasson, 'Ice Watch' (2014)

In creating my sculptural piece, 'Glacial Plastic' I was immediately reminded of Olafur Eliasson's Glacier series, particularly his 'Ice Watch'. I was particulalry drawn to the use of glacial ice as a prop or installation to encourage reflection on environmental narratives. However, as the Tate notes, 'the estimated energy cost for bringing one of these blocks to London is equal to one person flying from London to the Arctic and back to witness the ice melting.[1] This valid criticism, which ultimately tarnishes the work's environmental message, was not something I wished to include in my own. Ultimately, on the surface, my work was inspired by Eliasson aesthetically, however, my methods and materials differ greatly.

[1] Tate, ‘OLAFUR ELIASSON AND MINIK ROSING ICE WATCH. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/olafur-eliasson-and-minik-rosing-ice-watch> [Accessed 2 January 2022].

Olafur Eliasson, 'Ice Watch', 2014, Dimensions vary, <https://hyperallergic.com/260217/olafur-eliassons-sundial-of-melting-icebergs-clocks-in-at-half-past-wasteful/> [Accessed 2nd January 2022].

Process of Glacial Plastic

H.G Arunkumar, 'Droppings And The Dam' (2018)

Furthering on from my research into Olafur Eliasson, I wanted to create an engulfing sculptural piece out of found material. As a result, I was immediately inspired by Arunkumar's 'Droppings And The Dam'. This piece's sprawling, set-like sculpture encourages claustrophobia and physical engagement with the materials. Arunkumar stated that, 'the idea of this exercise was to visualise the scale of the trash that we produce and the speed at which we do this without giving a thought to sustainability.'[1] As such, I similarly wanted to encourage thought into consumption and reliability on plastic materials through a similar shape and sculptural decision making.

[1] Shraddha Jahagirdar-Saxen, ‘ARTIST AND THE ENVIRONMENT: ARUNKUMAR H. G’, 2019, <https://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/artist-and-the-environment-arunkumar-h-g> [Accessed 6th January 2022].

H.G Arunkumar , 'Droppings And The Damn', 2018, Dimensions vary, <https://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/artist-and-the-environment-arunkumar-h-g> [Accessed 6th January 2022].

'Glacial Ice Documentation', November 2021, dimensions vary, found plastics, spray paint.