Surfaces Experiments

GCSE – Surfaces (set topic). My initial experiments focused on looking at patterns that are produced from rubbings of textured surfaces. I researched the artist Max Ernst who developed the technique of frottage. I took charcoal rubbings from objects such as tyres, gratings and man-hole covers. Later, I decided to explore how surfaces change with burning having been inspired by the ‘messy’ artwork of Anselm Kieffer. In particular, I liked how plastic shrank and twisted into fascinating shapes. This effect is used by artist Alberto Burri, however in my opinion his pieces seem rather boring in terms of colour and composition. I continued my own experimental work by incorporating acrylic and wire mesh into melted plastic. Although both gave interesting results, I especially liked the way wire allowed the plastic to cling to it and therefore chose to develop this idea. I created a collage on canvas by melting different coloured plastics onto chicken wire. I painted the canvas in Kiefer’s style and experimented with the composition by burning holes into it as well as incorporating a variety of plastic objects in the mesh structure. The overall effect was a little too ‘busy’ so I opted to use an open wooden frame for my larger final piece.

Done