Georgia Hennessy

[georgiahennessyy]

Task 2 – I just had surgery, can you guess where?

This week we focused on creating a sculpture that was either directly connected to the human body or referenced the body in some way.

We worked with a fixed palette of planar materials, including plywood and cardboard, and were limited to techniques such as sawing, filing, sanding, folding, cutting, slotting, crushing and forming. At the conclusion of the workshop, the class collaborated on a large-scale body map, combining our individual sculptures to assemble a collective human form.

Several artists informed my thinking throughout this task. In particular, I was inspired by Louise Bourgeois, whose sculptures and installations often explore themes of womanhood, memory and women’s health (Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2023–2024). Bourgeois emphasised the relationship between sculpture and the body, stating, “I need to have these objects exist in relation to my body” (Tate, n.d.). I was also influenced by Anthony Gormley’s Body Politic exhibition, which challenged conventional representations of the human figure and encouraged me to think about the body as both a physical and conceptual subject.

As Katrib (2016) explains, contemporary sculpture often represents the body without directly depicting it. Rather than focusing on realistic human forms, contemporary sculptural practice frequently explores the body through material qualities, spatial relationships and sensory experiences. This idea became an important consideration in the development of my own work.

*Please hover over photos for expanded text*

29-31/7/26

References:

Art Gallery of New South Wales. (2023, 2024). Louise Bourgeois: Has the day invaded the night or has the night invaded the day? https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/louise-bourgeois/

Katrib, R. (2016). It feels like … flesh. In How Does It Feel? Inquiries into contemporary sculpture (pp. 28-32). Black Dog Publishing.

Tate. (n.d.). The art of Louise Bourgeois. Tate. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/louise-bourgeois-2351/art-louise-bourgeois

[georgiahennessyy]

Task 1 – Spiralling in Nature

This week focused on Task 1, where we were challenged to create a site-responsive sculpture using a fixed palette of linear materials, including different gauges of wire and various types of string. The aim was to select a site and create an artwork that responded to and engaged with its environment. As part of the task, we explored Motley's concept of expanded sculpture, which considers sculpture as a flexible and experimental practice that extends beyond traditional materials, forms, and methods (Ellegood, 2009).

The artists who most influenced my approach were Ruth Asawa and David Oliveira. Asawa's suspended wire sculptures inspired me through their lightweight, transparent forms and intricate techniques of weaving, looping, and tying wire together to create organic, flowing structures (Ruth Asawa Lanier, Inc., n.d.). In contrast, David Oliveira's sculptures resemble three-dimensional sketches, using wire to create expressive, figurative forms with a sense of movement and spontaneity (Blakeley, 2019). Both artists demonstrated how simple linear materials can be transformed into complex, dynamic sculptures that occupy and interact with space.

*Please hover over photos for expanded text*

21/7/26

References:

Blakeley, D. (2019, July 1). David Oliveira wire sculptor. ZoneOne Arts. https://zoneonearts.com.au/david-oliveira/

Ellegood, A. (2009). Motley Effort: Sculpture’s ever-expanding field.

Ruth Asawa Lanier, Inc. (n.d.). Sculpture. https://ruthasawa.com/art/sculpture/