I was right. This piece really did push my abilities not only with the engineering but with the aesthetics as well. As discussed in a prior entry, the mere weight of each swan, about three pounds each, had to be attached and supported. Then the box itself had to be built up as well to support the six pounds but even before all of the engineering, there was the aesthetic issue.
I am well aware that the swans I am using are someone else’s creation. In order for me to feel comfortable using another person’s craftsmanship, I have to find a way to integrate the forms well enough into a work that the pieces lose their individual identity and become integral to the design of the overall Foundling. In this piece the key was in the juxtaposition of not only putting the swans together but in rotating their axis by 45 degrees. This creates a kind of “S” curve that is so graphically strong that it almost obscures the swans.
The frame finished the piece with a variety of beautiful silver tones as well.
