Final Sculpture

     My final sculpture, following the theme of "Order and Chaos", was meant to be reminiscent of a death ritual. I wanted to show the inherent chaos of death; the fear, the anxiety, the unknown of it all, while also showing the somberness and beauty, the order, of such an event. I did my best to make the main wooden structure feel like this-- crafted well, streamlined and understated, and with an air of elegance. The bundle was meant to be the 'chaos' of the piece: branches in every direction, manic yet precious in its own way. 

     My final sculpture piece was similar to my prototype, with some changed elements. The structure was largely the same, but I added a larger base for better stability and improved aesthetics. I also changed which side the two bracing pieces were on. Through the design process, my piece definitely evolved, especially the bundle. 

     The bundle was originally much smaller relative to both the rapid prototype and the second prototype. I knew that it would be quite possibly the most important part of the sculpture, however, so I wanted to make it very special. I gathered fallen willow branches from my backyard to make it, and wrapped it with hemp twine. I wanted the wrapping to convey both the chaos of the shaping of the bundle and what it represented, while also reflecting the order to be found, both in the wrapping itself, and the wooden structure. 

     Some of the main critique notes were that the bundle could have gone either up or down in size-- either way would have resulted in a much different feel and piece. Another critique was that the braces could have been put on the opposite side, like they were in both the rapid and second prototype; this would have added a greater sense of balance to they piece. I chose to change this because I felt it would create more asymmetry, but I see the merit of doing what was suggested. A part of the sculpture that people liked was how it was different from every angle, especially the bundle. They said this created an entirely new feeling from each viewing position. An unique experience was to be had no matter which way you looked at it. I liked the idea that it would never be the same for anyone, that it would always mean something different to each individual who saw it. 

     I enjoyed making my sculpture much more than I thought I would. Having never worked with wood before, I was unsure of what to expect, but I actually really liked doing this, and would gladly try it again. I think that I was able to convey the emotions I wanted to with this piece, while still leaving it open to interpretation for everyone.