chorus

stump

Instagram-Notizen zum Projekt „chorus“ verfasst zwischen September 2022 und April 2024

Two years ago I found this stump of a freshly felled pine and the accompanying four angularly cut wooden wedges. I liked the arrangement, took some photos and videos. The four wedges I took with me to the studio. I liked the idea of having the mobile counterparts with me: One track in the forest, the other in the studio, keeping them at distance. Now I have just started – after two years without any idea – to work around it. Hope, it will be something!

This is how the site looks now. After and before the removal of blackberries, other vegetation and fallen branches – exept for one that could not be removed.

Two months ago I made imprints of the surfaces which were created when slicing the wedges out of the trunk. Took them to my studio.

Cleaned up! Branch removed!

Inside the stump.

A plaster cast of an imprint creating a negative mold – one out of four. Fixing shapes and structures. I molded out the four plaster molds with clay. One version can be seen here. They are now dried and ready for firing.

The five phases of casting and molding:
1. original structure
2. imprint of the structure
3. imprint of the structure
4. plaster molding
5. molding with clay.
Almost no loss of information but no transformation either.

Fired – finally!
3/4
4/4

The first attempt to create a three-dimensional ceramic object based on the flat impressions, taking into account both the outline of the impression as comprehensible information for shaping the object and the softness of the clay in the final settlement of the body. I did the same with the mirrored impression, which I will show later. In total I have four impressions, so there could be six more objects to follow. Probably!

Another fragile object.
Finished so far and ready for firing!

Next one – not finished – not fired yet!

The firing is a pretty big step in the ceramic process, but you can’t see much of the actual transformation (loss of size, look and feel of the material) in this photo. Once again the stump, the origin of the whole investigation.

Counterparts.

Counterparts in real colours – although not colourful.
60 × 50 × 20 cm each, ceramic.

Ceramic object whose shape is based on the information of the mirrored impressions.
58 × 47 × 52 cm, ceramic and plaster.

The work now has a title: chorus.

This is what the site looks like today. The tree stump is in the process of slowly rotting away. It is quite difficult to reach in the muddy parts of the Kottenforst.

Some results of the entire investigation of the tree stump, which has now been going on for two years, will be on display in the upcoming exhibition in June 2024 at @raumfuerkunstundnatur in Bonn.

17.9.2022 until 11.4.2024 – chorus posts on instagram – for more information @birgitwenninghoff