plastic optimism: a practice in enabling constraints

ignition 4, leonard and bina ellen gallery, montreal, quebec.

felt, mini speakers, mini lcd screens, foam core, wood, bungee cords.

photo credits: caroline boileau

A series of soft sculptures were built from 1" industrial felt, a headpiece for one occupant, and another for two. The completed sculptures were hung from the ceiling by means of bungee cords. Small amplifiers embedded in the walls of these constructions played back simple instructions for movement, step to the right, up, down. A third sculpture included steps that lead up into a foam core building. The participant was encouraged to place their head within, in order to view footage of a person moving within an institutional setting, the original foam sculpure placed upon her head. 

plastic optimism

Plastic Optimism

An ability to adjust to ones surroundings, to utilize structure as a means to propel oneself forward towards invention

Enabling Constraints

A method utilized to provide structure to chaos, to present clarity amidst a proliferation of obstructions

A stubborn curiosity, to engage with the boundaries that contain, to press up against borders, to consider seemingly concrete forms as malleable.

Certain determination

Subtle shifts of spatial design

Agility upon encountering obstacles along a meandering

You fall into a hole, the next time you encounter the gap, you perceive it, but still tumble within, meeting the opening a third time, you observe it, pass along side, evading the collapse, only to trip into the next

A process of thinking through movement

Improvise with perceived limitations

Agency

An intention that informs the decision regarding a movement

Towards a certain disruption of spatial order

A methodology

Pass through form to recognize its function

A certain fondness for incongruity

Abstract articulations

Kinesthetic negotiations

Neurological acrobatics