Recently I have been thinking about how the works can be displayed. I set myself a number of criteria which have informed my searches for solutions. These are as follows:
- Transportability
- easy of installation
- efficient storage
- conceptual compatibility with work
- aesthetic compatibility with work
- cost
- ease of manufacture
- Robustness and stability
- Flexibility
The logistics of moving a whole show down to London, preferably in one trip has led me to some creative solutions. The nature of the work is such, that I have to plan the transport and installation in great detail and still allow for contingencies. This is why I have had the above criteria in mind all along. The feet are even adjustable to account for the uneven flooring in exhibition spaces.
The above image is a trial assemblage for a single piece. The articulated angles give me a sense of dynamism and transparency. The sculpture is able to ‘float’ and still be anchored against mishaps. The tubes can carry wires invisibly and the whole dismantles into a small bundle. I must, however, label and mark each point of attachment because the assembling process was a consuming battle with getting the whole perfectly verticle.
The galvanised finish is light although I could try treating the surface to darken it and give it a patina. I shall try some things out, but the scale of the works, and the spaces, I think that the grey metal is possibly the way to go: less obtrusive.
I have also been thinking of another solution. This is somewhat more laborious but it is perhaps more aesthetic, at least in a gallery setting. That is, to weld square section iron rods, perhaps even with angles joints made of square iron tubing.
The idea is particularly suitable in that the structures I build are strong, flexible in use, recyclable and, if used together, form a coherent aesthetic contrast with the sculptures. They can be combined with other materials such as wood, plastics, textiles and metal. The process is one of playful construction which leads me to think of other things: I have just made a table structure for the computer desk, so much better than trestles.