Sometimes explorers start on their journey having in mind just a direction, not a destination. They don't know what they will find or where they will end up. What such explorers do intend is to discover something new – if only on a personal level and to learn from the experience.

Starting this series of small sculptures – I call them “Objicles” - I feel that I am setting out on such a journey of exploration. I have some images and some feelings. The rest I'll find out along the way. I set a few ground rules: each piece must be table size, made mostly out of wood. Metal and possibly cast cement could be used too. The concept of every piece will dictate its look: unfinished or painted. I decided to use manual tools whenever possible. The surface and design will be treated with some precision but not to the point of a machine-made look.

I also decided that the Objicles must be rather simple in shape and color. Minimalism might come to mind but it's not the goal. I would like to see how far I can go using primarily geometric shapes, though references to symbols will play one of the major roles.

Superficially some elements of the Objicles might recall the formalistic experiments of the abstract and constructivist artists of the beginning of the XX century. The experiences of the previous generations must be acknowledged but – if possible - used for finding something more personal, in a more humanistic direction.

I choose this opportunistic approach – leaving many ends untied – in order to take advantage of surprises along the way.

There are many examples of "a painting a day" projects. I see it as a normal practice of any artist who maintains a working rhythm. However it's hard to imagine producing one Objicle every day without dedicating all of my time to it because I also paint and work on large scale sculptures. I would like this journey to be somewhat pleasurable, so I decided that establishing a regular but light rhythm would be important.

Scroll down and stay tuned for new Objicles. If you would like to see more of my art or buy any of it, including Objicles, please visit my website: www.rabodzeenko.com

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Objicles


Objicle 0001
painted wood
H 3 1/2" x L 7 1/4" x W 6 3/4"

Above is one of my first Objicles.
I glued the wooden parts together and then painted them with several layers of primer and brown paint. I lightly sanded the corners just to accentuate the shape of this Objicle. Then I hand-buffed the surface to achieve a very nice sheen. I experimented with different ways of placing it to best show its character and this is the most interesting one. But one can experiment and change views according to one's mood.
I wanted it to look like an object that one can find in an old farmhouse - painted a utilitarian brown. The somewhat distressed surface helps the viewer to connect to thoughts about something useful, or what was supposedly useful in the past. I think I achieved that look.

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Objicle 0002
painted wood
H 5 1/4" x L 12 1/2" x W 5 1/4"

This one has the same general feeling as the one above (0001) but it's more on the aesthetic side than on the utilitarian. I am very pleased with its dynamic shape - it creates an interesting contrast with its farm-object-like appearance. This Objicle has a self-balancing quality: it will return to its upright position (unless placed directly upside down).

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Objicle 0003
painted wood
H 5 1/4" x L 8 1/4" x W 1 3/4"

I like the minimalistic design of Objicle 0003. It has a dynamism which is broken into three stages:
1. the round part has the dynamic quality of a wheel
2. the rectangular part that grows out of the wheel stops the potential rotation of the wheel
3. the small rectangular leg lifts the whole shape up setting it back in motion
All wooden parts were glued together and then painted black. After the paint dried I accentuated some parts of the Objicle with sandpaper and hand-buffed the surface to a slight sheen.

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Objicle 0004
wood
H 4 1/2" x L 13" x W 4 1/2"

This Objicle was inspired by the story of Noah's Ark. The main body of this Objicle suggests a crudely made boat. The two top rectangular members symbolize the duality of the mission - male/female. I wanted the whole thing to be seen as one piece - chunky, inseparable - but distinctively made of separate members. The position - lying on its side - represents the finished journey of the ark.
Like in all of my Objicles I wanted to create a piece that the viewer would like to take in their hands, feel its smooth surface and the marks from the tools, feel its weight and its warmth. So far none of the Objicles have a traditional base - they stand and lie right on the surface - being accessible the their surroundings.
On the technical side I shaped the main body with the hand saw, rasp and the hand lathe, then I glued the pieces together, filled the gaps with plastic wood, and then oiled and buffed the whole thing.

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Objicle 0005
painted wood
H 20 1/2" x L 7" x W 3 1/2"

Here is another Objicle that was inspired by the shape of a boat - in this case its skeletal structure. I wanted it to look like a sign or hieroglyph. It's a boat and at the same time a sail. It has a heavy, stable bottom that accentuates the ribbed structure of the top, which is not too fragile but rather strong. This Objicle could be put down horizontally, and it will look very different, with a completely different meaning - not proud but defeated yet with hidden power.
This piece stands a little apart from the rest so far, I guess due to its upright posture and its height that suggests more of a sculpture than a utilitarian object. So be it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Like it! Especially the third one!