Celebrating equality of worth, this object combines the elements of the original graphite drawings with the inlaid veneer surface into a new context. A context that allows the viewer to question their preconceptions about material value, workmanship and artistic expression.
The piece is influenced by Junichiro Tanizaki’s essay In praise of shadows in which comparisons of light with darkness are used to contrast Western and Asian cultures. The surface effect is created using inlaid wooden veneer [marquetry] inspired by the tonal variations in graphite. The single colour veneer creates subtle tonal changes as the viewer interacts with the work. Light and darkness become equally important to the visual experience.
The piece is further Inspired by Leonard Koren’s writing on Japanese aesthetics. The precision machine turned graphite legs trace their life path, revealing the impermanent and transient nature of materials and objects in our world.
