ELIZABETH BOWEN
CAAF Residency st[art]@Art Central, June – August 2009
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
In recent years I have discovered my enjoyment with working with the medium of glass. It is a beautiful delicate but hard material. For me glass represents something very elemental for me probably because it is a material that is derived from the earth.
My most recent work is three glass bras. I created them because I believe that society is obsessing on the female body. I am reexamining the issue of how the female torso has been viewed and constricted in the past. I am creating a modern way to view the female torso but with some aspects of history involved. I was very much aware of the history of corsetry when creating these pieces. By choosing to use glass as a material I was creating a “look but do not touch” environment. I also wantedto heighten the model’s awareness to respect the bra. It is hard and durable, but can be broken very easily which could be dangerous. It is about heightening the viewers and model’s awareness.
I would like to continue my investigation into this subject further. The next project I would like to create in your space at Art Central would be glass corsets. I am very interested in the concept of restriction that we face daily in society. I am proposing to use the same method as the glass bras for the glass corsets. I am aware that some of the work like the casting and coldworking of the glass will be done offsite, but the majority of the work could be done in studio. The work will include the use of plaster bandage and wax to create the mold for the glass casting. The work will be presented on live models.