This piece of work is inspired by the writings of Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher who developed the concept of Deconstruction. By deconstructing the ‘picture frame’ art is encouraged to critique itself, to explore its subtleties and relationships, particularly that with craft. An essential component of the frame is its’ being crafted using traditional techniques and materials. The surface pattern makes reference to the Arts and Crafts Movement of the 19th century. Contemporary art often looks upon craft with a disdainful eye and perceives it to be an entirely separate entity to ‘concept’. The ambition of Untitled (frame) is to combine the two, in order to analyse and re-determine their relationship.
The continuous pattern was created by carving a section of repeat pattern into clay, from which a gel-flex mould was made. This section is currently being cast into Herculite plaster and the resulting pieces will be assembled and fixed onto a wooden base; the joints filled and smoothed. The finished piece is to be hung on a gallery wall, in the same way a traditional painting would be displayed.
