WEEK 00+FINAL P

I WANT TO START OFF WITH A SELF CHALLENGE, TO PRODUCE AN EXHIBITION BY THE END OF THIS CLASS, THEREFORE EACH WEEK'S CLASS ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ORIENTED TOWARDS PRODUCING A COMPLETE PIECE OF WORK, OR ATLEAST A PART OF A WORK. MY IDEA FOR THE FINAL PROJECT IS A SCULPTURE "MAMMALIAN ORCHID", FOLLOWING THE THOUGHTS OF ALPHONSO LINGIS ON OUR EVOLUTION TOWARDS A PURE SPECTATORIAL STATE AND IT'S CORRELATE, A SPECTACULAR DISPLAY. MY PAST WORKS HOW BEEN RELATIVELY MINIMAL, BUT I WANTED THE FINAL PROJECT TO INCORPORATE MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE SKILLS WE'LL LEARN SO THERE WILL BE ALOT OF COMPONENTS IN THIS SCULPTURE, WHICH IS BOTH EXCITING AND TAUNTING.


THE PIECE WILL ESSENTIALLY LOOK LIKE A LARGE MEATY ORCHID LYING IN A PETRI DISH IMMERSED IN FBS-LOOKING MEDIUM. FOR ME THIS IMAGE OF AN OBJECT LYING IN PINK MEDIUM(FBS) ON A PETRI DISH IS A STRONG SIGNIFIER OF AN OVER HYPED NARRATIVE THAT DRIVES OUR CURRENT BIOFUTURES. THE ORCHID WILL BE A WHITE MATERIAL THAT GRADUALLY SOAKS UP THE PINK, A LITTLE GLASS BULB WILL PROTRUDE FROM IT'S LIP. THE GLASS BULB IS BASED OFF A VIOLET RAY WAND, A VACUUMED CHAMBER CONTAINING ARGON AND GLOWS PURPLE WHEN ELECTRICITY IS PASSED THROUGH. WHEN A CONDUCTIVE SURFACE COMES CLOSE TO THE BULB LITTLE SPARKS WILL FORM BETWEEN THE SURFACES. THE ANTHER CAP OF THE ORCHID WILL CONTAIN A COMPONENT THAT SWITCHES BETWEEN CONDUCTIVE AND NONCONDUCTIVE, DRAWING THE SPARKS OUT INTERMITTENTLY.

A PHOTO OF SPARKS FROM A VIOLET RAY WAND

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE MID-LARGE OBJECTS FAST AND CHEAP, AND AM STUMPED ONCE AND AGAIN BY THE LIMITS OF DIGITAL FABRICATION, EITHER ON ASPECTS OF SIZE, QUALITY OR PRICE. FOR NOW I'M SLICING UP MY MODELS FOR LASER CUTTING WITH CARDBOARD, LAMINATING THEM, BUILDING OVER WITH CLAY AND MAKING A MOLD OUT OF IT. I'M STARTING OUT WITH SIMPLER FORMS.

A 3D PRINT ON THE EDEN OF MY MODEL OF FINAL PROJECT.