Erosion and Excavation

paint carving

In order to produce this work, I began by carving into layers of paint that had been placed by previous owners over the tiles that cover the lower half of the room. These layers act as contours for the topographic pattern that resulted from the carving. I then traced this carving to produce stencils allowing me to print an inverse image of the carving on the top half of the room. Items collected from the process are displayed in the jars alongside tiles that had fallen from the wall.

Built spaces contain their own contours and topographies. This work is a methodological destruction that amplifies existing weathered traces and parses through what's been removed.

Patterns of erosion are produced by natural processes of decay. On both natural and manmade landscapes these patterns reflect the characteristics of the weathering process. In an excavation, these behaviors are limited by one's approach to the place. It is often the rules of excavation that inform an understanding of what's been found.

This project was a produce through a residency at the Birdsell Project.

2014