theThesis madeleine ike
Model Investigations
I aim to complete a series of models that represent the boundaries between the following notions previously mentioned;
- positive space vs negative space
- construction vs decay
- living vs non living
The models will represent a blurring of the boundaries in a conceptual yet physical way.
Positive vs Negative Space
Study with wax, inks, water and introduction of carbon, salt and vinegar.
Blurred boundary. Negative space filled with water. Water becomes the positive. Injection of wax creates a new positive and water thus becomes the negative.
Exploring the Boundaries
Looking at the bounday between construction and decay.
Construction: salt crystals grow upwards over balsa wood. material produced over time and without human interaction (aside initial set up).
Decay: a burning element located above the balsa wood stick at different levels determines how heat, and distance of heat, can destroy the balsa wood from the top down.
For this model, I wanted to focus on the repetition of layers to accumulate to growth. Each drop of wax is small and insignificant, but after time each drop adds up to entirely change the form and focus of the object. Here, elements of physical flow are introduced. Repetitive and achievable tasks create directional focus and flow.
Within the model I always studied the difference between the beautiful and the sublime. Individual drops of wax glisten and shine in small individually, but as the wax grows over the model, the focal mass shifts to the top of the model. The mass hangs heavily over the metal, and being an extremely brittle material, there is a sense of anxiety that the looming layers may snap and crumble.
Wood was chosen for the base of the model to represent the charred and burnt oak table used by the monks at Rufford Abbey. The model grows up from the wood to show a shift in materiality from naturally formed materials to a heavier and more constructed architectural language..
Film: wax
Repetitive Materiality and The Sublime