This week’s challenge was to create a performative object. I was intrigued last week with Arthur Ganson’s machines and wanted to explore some of the components he used in his work.
He had an excellent gear-making video, so I decided to start there. I made a jig to form consistent gear teeth and improvised from there.
Although my object (a very early piece) was somewhat performative, I also found the act of creating the pieces performative as well — something that could engage people. As we discussed in class, part of my interest in Ganson’s machines was the juxtaposition of contrasts: precision and “organic,” rigid and malleable, machine and delicate. Working with wire is always a balance between bending hard enough to make precise shapes and bending lightly enough to avoid breakage.
