Artists and their Materials

Rosalie Gascoigne
Harlequin

Gascoigne creates the work ‘Harlequin’ through fragments of sawn wood attached to craft-board. Using ‘used’ or ‘raw’ materials is a feature of many of Gascoigne’s works, saying ‘usually when I start I like the stuff, the raw material in the first place, and that's usually a must, you've got to lug it home and scrub it and all that sort of stuff.’(1998 abc interview*) Through her use of materials, Gascoigne aims to challenge our notions of art as the ‘masterpiece’ and what constitutes an artwork. Furthermore, by using recycled materials, Gascoigne examines the way in which artists can transform the meaning of the materials or objects they use through their artistic practice. In ‘Harlequin,’ Gascoigne uses fragments of sawn wood to create an abstract, non-figurative image, using her materials in a more expressive way rather than attempting to represent a figure, or mimic reality. The contrast in textures, colours and grain of the wood is a focal point of this work, making the work’s meaning not only ambiguous, but incredibly subjective. Thus, Gascoigne uses her materials to accentuate her themes and ideas.

* http://www.abc.net.au/arts/headspace/tv/express/gascoigne/default.htm



Fiona Hall
Paradisus Terrestris


Hall constructs this series of sculptures through aluminum and steel, delicately moulding the filigreed plant sculptures sprouting out of re-used, polished sardine cans. The use of a mundane object such as a used sardine can adds an element of humour and satire to the work, for she manipulates the sardine can to portray rather sensuous sections of the human body. The friction between the mundane material and what it is used for highlights Hall’s message of the current human life and biodiversity on earth as struggling to coexist with industrial waste and manufacturing of the modern age. Indeed, Director Rhana Devenport , a curator of Hall’s 2007 exhibition in New Zealand, refers to the work as a ‘passionate and meticulous investigation of the biological world and the severe environmental pressures that humanity continues to place upon it.’** Consequently, it is evident that Hall’s use of materials contributes significantly to the meaning of this work.

**http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/tabid/59/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/132/Experience-the-world-of-Fiona-Hall.aspx