Lately I've been terribly taken by the luscious materiality of pink fiberglass insulation. I've incorporated its use in a number of sculptures to date and continue to explore its widespread potential. It's surprisingly easy to work with... it's amazing what a little spray adhesive can do. Although, I try only to work with it in small doses for fear of contracting some form of deadly lung disease. This stuff is pretty toxic... so I'm asking for a respirator this Christmas.
a detail shot of my most recent piece
my very first insulation installationThough I've yet to find many other artists that are working with this material (I know you're out there somewhere!) I've been really drawn to these two shown below. The first, by Jennifer Rubell, is an interactive installation. A cotton candy padded cell that is designed to be devoured. And the second is a painting by Will Cotton, who is known for his delectable mouth-watering paintings of all things sweet.
Will CottonThese two are using completely different materials than I, with, in a sense, a completely different aim, yet their works evoke a similar visceral response. If Cotton's painting represents an ideal, then Rubell's room must be the reality. Rather than look and drool at the painting, viewers are invited in, to touch, to taste, to get sticky and make a mess. If this is so, I'd say my work lies somewhere in between. It's enticing and corporeal. It often envelopes the viewer, as Rubell's, yet the toxicity of the material prohibits any tactile interaction, creating a distance not unlike that created by Will Cotton's painting.
this book should be mine
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