Brain of the City

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 :: Brain of the city - 2009 (closeup)

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by: Tom Estlack - Wednesday, July 8, 2009

I have been developing "construction systems" for the assembly of works using the same parts. The sculpture, currently on display, is a recent incarnation of this concept. Throughout the year, I make castings of joints, which have been molded from a pattern. I also cut pieces of conduit and manufacture other parts. The parts are designed to allow for some flexibility during the installation process. Working this way affords me the possibility of indicating volume without developing a mass of material. The referent for this process is contemporary manufacturing and architectural engineering. The question of how the most stability and volume can be attained with the least amount of material is often posited. Orchestrations in line are usually the answer. The vector typically bears much of the load in any engineering scenario. "Line" is (arguably) also the most efficient means of expression available to the artist during the process of drawing.

The process of construction is critical to my creative practice. When learning scales or chords in music, one builds on previous knowledge. The same is true in programming or any other field. Every facet of society seems dependent on construction, be it a faulty one or a functioning one.

Interactive Sculpture: The viewer can interact with this work by blowing on a zoetrope located in the middle of the sculpture. The motion of the zoetrope reveals an animated sequence of smoke billowing out of a pipe.

2009 - Gypsum Cement, Polyurethane, Paper, Graphite, Lights, Plaster, Aluminum, wax

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