Pieces

Series 1 – The undesirable consequences of desire

These works are held on using magnets

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Rose petals go mouldy when you try to preserve them in glass jars (pin)

Only one can light up the day (pin)

Pushing tiny bruises (earrings)

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Series 2 – Hope this one takes a while to unravel

6 rings, same design, various colours

Michelle Genders (SCA)

revelations, turning points etc.

I thought the obvious associations to “side-effect” were medical, ageing, sickness, medication so I started with “the undesirable consequences of desire”. Even though I regretted it at times, I stuck to this path and my first instinct.

It made a difference that the pipe cleaners happened to be conducive to what I had been working on lately. I worked with wire for a lot of last year. How could I pass up the opportunity to use magnets again when they are made with steal? I let myself work with materials and find solutions in the same ways that I usually do.

I felt like I’d finished making the pieces. Then I posted my mid-point response and read the blog. I thought, oh shit, I’m doing the same old thing again. I ended up making another series of pieces. After I made the second series, I came back to appreciating the first series as a new direction.

I found these great cotton pipe cleaners. I liked their washed out colours and the texture is nicer on the skin. I wanted to keep these ones whole instead of pulling them apart like the synthetic ones.

I didn’t know why pipe cleaners exist. Karin J told me that her dad used pipe cleaners to clean his smoking pipe. Aha! So that’s what they are made for. Duh. You could use cotton ones to clean pipes, but not synthetic ones. Are the synthetic ones made purely for craft purposes?

Rui T said: are you going to go bigger in scale? I took on her point. I’d stopped exploration and was trying to pull it together. I tried making something bigger. I developed the small forms when I was most engaged with the ideas though, so I only put those in.

Words written on your personal laptop, while sitting in your cosy bed, in your dimly lit bedroom change once they are posted on a blog that potentially anyone can read. I debated this private/public complication in my head a lot. Posting your thoughts on the blog is good practice for putting your work in the gallery though!

I recognised the most successful pop songs had poetry in them, so I was trying to move towards that with my words. Be less straightforward. Leave it more open. Push it away.

Sia is wearing a pipe cleaner hat on the cover of her new album! You always see things more often once you start thinking about them.

I finished the first series a while ago now. I can reflect on people’s reactions and experience of wearing it. I think it doesn’t present as particularly challenging, easy to like. Aesthetically pleasing, a bit unusual. Simple structure. Vulnerable. Not very durable.

I made rings in the second series. I haven’t made rings for ages. I worry about how the shank only fits a certain size finger. I was able to make the size adjustable in this design. I’m happy they can fit on a variety of fingers.

A number of themes that have long been arising in my practice came up again while I was making for this project. It has been helpful to see that these themes will appear under different circumstances. My position on some of these matters has strengthened. For other matters the questions continue.

Mid-point statement

To material:

I’ve quickly come to dislike the pipe cleaners. They are not easy to manipulate. There is a clunkiness about how they sit. The synthetic material drags nastily against my fingers. The colour yellow alone is not enough.

I tell mum about the project. She remembers the pipe cleaner antennae head bands I made when I was 5. What can I do that kids have not done before?

I realise pipe cleaners are made up of two parts – steel wire and coloured fluff. I undo them. I think ‘yes – I can work with this!’ Things start to happen quickly.

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So, I’ve been pulling the pipe cleaners apart and putting them back together in various combinations. The wire and fluff alone works the best. It is simple. Recognisable. The textures are salient.

But, it’s not very durable to wear. So, I’ve tried my usual tricks – adding glue and perspex. I considered adding all sorts of other materials. But, they didn’t seem right. Something poetic is happening with just these 3-4 materials.

I’m using magnets in combination with the steel wire to attach to clothing. I’ve done this before. Just need to get the steel to magnet ratio right. I’ve considered more complex methods. But, they are against my instinct. Keep it simple.

Three forms are working quite well – two different types of pins and one type of earrings. I’ve never made earrings before. Three different colour schemes developed as well. I’ll continue to work on the right mix.

To text:

A thing moved inside my chest.

What the hell is that?

Fear.

It’s the size of a small piece of fruit.

Or maybe a large seed.

I breathe out.

Tell myself it is safe.

The thing starts to grow.

And change.

Hope!

I’d forgotten about this thing in my chest.

It’s been shrunk for a long time.

It’s like I’ve run into a long lost friend.

I won’t hold a grudge.

I’ll give the thing a hug and say – how are you?

Beginning statement

To material:

It is long and thin and wrapped thickly in paper… Yay – it is yellow pipe cleaners!!

There are not that many of them. What if I make a mistake and run out before I can get what something out of them? I suppose the shape can be altered a few times before it gets ratty.

So soft and furry. Yellow is bright and happy.

Ooooh, another type of wire to play with! I wonder if they are steel inside. Yes, there is, they stick to magnets.

Berri made a work with these in second year. She was playing on their happy, child-like connotations.

To text:

“side-effect”

A side-effect, by definition, is an additional, undesirable effect.

What then, are the undesirable side-effects of desire?

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Only one can light up the day. Time spent otherwise is muted in comparison.

World shrinks, as others are forgotten and their invitations are discarded.

Mind is filled, blocked, nothing can arise through visions of longing.

Timetables altered and biorhythms suppressed.

Shared space and compromised intimacy.

Costly rendezvous, gambled emotion.

TEXT To: Michelle Genders (SCA) From: Zak Pitfield de Mille (Whitireia)

Hi, my name is Zak.
Here is the piece of writing for the the exchange project or in this case word:
“side-effect”
Good luck!

MATERIAL To: Michelle Genders (SCA) From: Amelia Pascoe (Whitireia)

Does anyone use them to clean pipes?

Do certain pipe smokers prefer yellow to other colours?