The clay is cool under my fingers, almost alive. I work quickly, too quickly. Hours slip by without a thought. My hands are trembling, but I don’t stop. They pull and press, shape and smooth, as if this is their only purpose. I get lost in the work. The only thing that matters is this face, this face with eyes I’ve never seen, with a mouth that’s never spoken.
This is a piece reflecting the yearning for perfection as an artist. I relate this form of obsession to religious psychosis, referencing religious medieval art through the halo connecting the head of the artist and the head of the sculpture. The halo surrounds both the artist’s and the sculpture’s head to show that the artist is never in full control of the piece and how it can take over the artist’s life. I also wanted to emphasize the control that they both have over each other by adding 3D elements to physically show the encapsulation of the artist to the sculpture.
Here’s a closeup of the 3D elements:
