#methodsofinquirey

[hanastudio]

Our body extension project was on certain elements and themes from Joyce Kilmer’s poem Trees, and Alan Bigelow’s This is not a Poem. We were inspired by the line “only God can make a tree” and the themes of power and influence. Along with that, Alan Bigelow’s “destruction” of Kilmer’s poem influenced our interest in the idea of creating something and then destroying it. The broader inspiration for our piece is humanity and its relationship to the earth. Humans are influenced by some higher being or God-like force that push and pull them to do certain things. Humanity also takes a uses resources provided by the earth which they then use to create magnificent things. There is also the element of destruction that is brought upon by humans in return. While human creations can be positive and innovative, they can also ruin the earth that they have built on and that they have taken the resources from.

[hanastudio]

I represent the earth, the Earth with a capital “E” and just the ground. This extension has a context in the greater narrative of our piece however this is also a body extension where craftsmanship is key. As I carried this weight on my shoulders, I had not realized just how heavy it would become once all the bricks were placed on top of my foundation. The octagon shape of my extension was made so that it could reflect the shape of the bricks as the resources from the earth are part of the earth.