The Fishwoman: January 2014

20 January 2014

Meatball

I have a date

With my beautiful

We start on 24th

With people size photos of African portraits

Weeds enclosed in some transparent tarp

Metallic Polichinel totems

Female bodies of aged stone

White wine plastic glass

Silly dotted frames

A wish in a Japanese woman's tree

Nonesense except for the first and the last

A red F... snow box on a desk makes me think of Maury

And finally some special meatballs in the best place on earth for tonight!

15 January 2014

I have acquired a beautiful sculpture by emerging artist J L Furio, a new piece in my collection but not the first one of hers. This piece is the one that got most of my attention when visiting her studio, I love it for it's incredible sense of power. Some universal female propaganda masterpiece coming out of limestone, one that has just grasp all her breath for the perfect declaration on women's power to overcome anything. I asked JL some questions and here are the answers:

-What inspired you when in the process of making this piece, what was in your mind?

I was flicking through one of my sketchbooks for inspiration, having a look at rapid sketches I had done during a life-drawing class when I came across a tiny ink drawing I had remarked once before. I had tried (unsuccessfully) to model it in clay several months before but it was drawn at such an angle that I simply could not translate it three-dimensionally. So this time, I went directly for the tension of the pose and it took off from there! As for what was in my mind… Well, you have the physical manifestation before you.

-Was the end result what you were expecting initially?

I would like to say that it never is, but in all honesty – yes! A general rule of thumb you live with as a sculptor is that the resolved piece will be 30% of the original idea. The reason for this is that you have to translate an abstract concept into real, physical space. This piece is one that has come very close to literally realizing it’s original concept. The reason for this may be that previous to its realization, I created another (smaller) series of works that contained the essence of Idol. I knew exactly where I was going with the first stroke of the chisel.

- Do you have a message you want to say though this piece?

Not a message so much as an effect. I want the viewer to feel, when they behold her. I work with the human figure because it is relatable, no matter how disembodied. The principal reason I work with the torso (rather than the head) is that it invokes a more personal, visceral response. The forms of Idol have been pushed to the extreme; her waist is so reduced that it should not be able to support the ribcage, but somehow it does! And this feels almost painful, which is a conflicting response as the forms are beautiful in their own way.

- Why do you choose stone and technically when do you know it's done and finished?

I work with many different materials, but stone is my ultimate because of both the carving process and the look and feel of the finished product. The act of carving is incredibly demanding both physically and mentally, and that kind of involvement transports you someplace else. As for being able to recognize when it is ‘done’ – you don’t! At some point though you simply have to stop working or you’ll do a Giacometti and there won’t be any material left!

- Finally, while carving this piece could you list chronologically the emotions that went through you?

Fear. Frustration. Desperation. Love. Pride.