Perishable Vase VII

Concerned with our culture of overconsumption and waste, I had this sense that there was a logic to employing actual natural material, in this case flowers, as the source of aesthetics to make objects that bear a greater meaning.

The Perishable pieces reflect on consumer culture; their ephemeral quality is achieved through the material they are made of – flowers, salvaged from London’s flower markets, merged with an organic matrix formed from shellac, beeswax, and resin. The Perishable Series features functional works including vases, urns and flasks, formally, and in their decoration, they are reminiscent of works from great civilisations past. In comparison to their historic predecessors, however, they deform in sunlight, are negatively affected by water, and generally slowly fade and disintegrate over the years. The speed of their deterioration is dependent on the ambient environment. Just like objects of everyday use such as printers, phones, or cars which are often designed with planned obsolescence, these sculptures also have a limited lifespan dictated by the natural processes that overtake them.

First tests and material research were held in a public park during spring. Through temperature and humidity changes, the objects started to transform and melt, blending into their natural environment.

Materials

Flowers, organic binders: shellac, tree resins, flour, sugar.

 

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