Project 2 - Narrative

Project two is about the Narrative - "representing stories or events pictorially or sculpturally" (from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/narrative)

Within that, our project should be based around either the body, the environment or semiotics (study of signs and signifiers)

Since my interests lie in object and useful art, I would be very interested in making a charm bracelet for this project. This also links with the group workshop I will be part of, which is lost wax casting, as this type of casting is practical in the creation of small charms.


As for the "narrative" aspect, I would like to do a story about a seed becoming a flower, then wilting, and this would be about life and death, how everything has its moment to bloom, but then it will wilt and die, no matter how much care someone takes to preserve it.


I will probably use plain zinc or pewter for the cast charms, as they are cheap and relatively easy for me to get a hold of either by myself or through the polytech. I will investigate the price of silver and casting in silver, and if it is affordable I would much rather cast in silver, as it is a nicer metal, is more appealing to many prospective buyers (I wouldn't be selling these, but if I make more charms in the future it would be preferable to make them of silver, and doing that now would gain me the knowledge I would need to make the process as simple as possible later) and is more sturdy than pewter and zinc - though it is still a soft metal.


It may be difficult to craft a delicate flower/plant out of wax, especially as I have very little practice in carving wax, so I may have to do a representational flower, rather than a realistic flower/plant.


I'm thinking at the moment that i may try to use a rose, as a rose - even a silver zinc one - is a well known symbol of love, or passion, and this would tie in nicely with my theme of things blooming then fading away, as many loves and passionate relationships do the same.

http://curezone.com/ig/i.asp?i=63053

Other flowers I've considered are: Sunflowers - the large, bright flowers could be seen as a representation for our life, as they grow tall fast, and stand strong while reaching for the sky, as though nothing can stop them, then when they wilt the wither and slowly bend over, as so many people do as they pass their prime in life.
http://floerstory.blogspot.co.nz/2011/02/sunflower.html

And Blossoming Cherry Tree flowers, or Sakura Flowers - These short lived flowers are gorgeous in season, and a whole tree can go from budding to finished flowering in two weeks.


I have dome some simple sketches to try to capture the stages of the flower's life as they would be in charm form, which I will hopefully upload tomorrow.