Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Following images are the images I think will appear in my thesis paper:

fig. 1 Detail of Warner River Landscape, Creeping Charlie, Horseweed, and Wheatgrass
Glass Mosaic and plants
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 2 Detail of Troublesome Object-Various Grasses
Plaster, glass, and Grasses
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 2 Detail of Untitled 1 – Crabgrass, Fleabane, Horseweed
Plaster, glass, various plants
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 4 New England Scenery
Painting
Edwin Church, 1826-1900

fig. 5 Vivarium
Nurse Tree, and Vivarium
Mark Dion, 2002

fig. 6 Partially Buried Woodshed
Stucco shed, and dirt
Robert Smithson, 1970


fig. 7 Tourist Trap
Photo
Carolyn Rodam, 2010

fig. 8 Old 103 Bridge-Stand Facing West, Gaze Down the Road and See Our Past
Photo of Found sculpture- Old bridge of route 103 decommissioned in 1960s
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 9 Troublesome Object-Various Grasses
Plaster, glass, and Grasses
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 10 Third Landscape
Garden
Gilles Clément, 1997

fig. 11 Chandelier
Samples Found in a Third Landscape, Acrylic bubbles
Gilles Clément, 2006


fig. 12 Repair and occupy an abandoned boat
Stockholm
Lara Almarcegui, 2003

fig. 13 The Wave
Water, Plexi-glass
Hans Haacke, 1964


fig. 14 Condensation Cube
Plexi-glass and water
Hans Haacke, 1963



fig. 15 Blue Sail
Fan, silk cloth
Hans Haacke, 1964

fig. 16 Ice Stick
Refigeration tube
Hans Haacke, 1965
fig. 17 Monument to Beach Pollution
Found trash on beach
Hans Haake, 1970

fig. 18 DER BEVÖLKERUNG (TO THE POPULATION) (missing- image reproduction poor searching for better images) Garden instillation
Hans Haacke, 1999

fig. 20 Personal Biospears
Plexi-glass and plants
Vaughn Bell, 2008




fig. 21 Untitled 1 – Crabgrass, Fleabane, Horseweed
Plaster, glass, various plants
Carolyn Rordam, 2010


fig. 22 Troublesome Object-VariousGrasses
Plaster, glass, and Grasses
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 23 Warner River Landscape, Creeping Charlie, Horseweed, and Wheatgrass
Glass Mosaic and plants
Carolyn Rordam, 2010

fig. 24 Schematic drawing of Watering tank
Rendered by Dudley Giberson, 2010


fig. 25 Small Boundaries – Purslane and Grass
Glass mosaic, plants
Carolyn Rordam 2010


fig. 26 Agriculture; The Foundation of Civilization – Species unknown
Glass mosaic, plants
Carolyn Rordam, 2010


fig. 27 Bag-in-tree
Photograph of found sculpture
Carolyn Rordam 2009


Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Create art that...

...never stays the same.

...must be maintained.

...grows out of control.

...is cracked.

...has weeds.

...could be replanted.

...is life.

...needs mowing.

...blooms and dies.

...must be watered.

...could be harvested.

...could be an ecosystem.

Monday, July 12, 2010

I have been working on a better presentation of my work. Something a bit more polished. Here is the result.
Why I chose these plants:
I was inspired by a plant thriving on the sidewalk in Boston on Newbury St next to AIB. I thought it looked familiar, I had seen it in my garden I thought. Turns out I was right. As soon as I go home there is was in the garden.
Beyond that:
This plant is known as Purslane- it is edible, it is higher in Omega 3 fatty acids than spinach and has a high concentration of vitamin C in the stem. According to the web site I found it has the same nutritional benefits of okra.
http://hsny.blogspot.com/2009/07/edible-weeds.html

Photo from Sidewalk at AIB





It has a manual interactive water administering device. (a copper cup with a large dropper). Instructions for dispensing the H2O will be included.
The frame is aluminum so the holding structure won't fall off the wall and hurt someone. (I'm just so glad when my piece fell off the wall at AIB no one was there!)
I have also upgraded the holder for the plant I have sealed the plaster so it won't break down as quickly.


Sunday, May 16, 2010

New Artist Statement

There’s the old heroic story, where man is at war with Nature; the romantic version,

where Man merges spiritually with Nature; and, more recently, the environmental morality tale,

in which Nature pays Man back for his transgressions, yet all of them share a premise we know to be false

but we can’t seem to shake: that we somehow stand outside, or apart from nature.

Michael Pollan

My work is a mediation of time, and the incessant and irrepressible impact of nature, despite mankind’s intrusions. It reflects the fascination I have with the details of natural systems and the cycles of growth and rebirth within those cycles. Through photographs and performance I am investigating the role of entropy in the cycles of birth and resurrection in the new England area. Through sculptures I explore critical issues involving introducing a natural system (living plants) into the traditional presentation of a work of art.

May 15th Opening...How Did it go?





Well I had the opening and it was not all I had hoped. This is totally my fault, I didn't do nearly enough pre event promotion. Okay! honesty here; I did very little. I sent post cards out very late and didn't send them to any galleries or local art people. That said I did try something out of my comfort zone so I have to give myself credit there. Experience IS the best teacher.

Oh! did I mention my camera broke. So I have to rely some video and stills from my friends. I fixed the camera and went back later in the day and took shots of the labeled work without people. So as soon as I download and edit the video and get some photos from another friend I'll be posting more later.

I think it was a good idea and I really liked what I did to pull it off I guess the 'if you build it they will come' philosophy is not the one to take on this sort of thing.

Here is an excerpt from my journal of what I wanted to happen I have been working on this idea in my head since February:

Proposal for an exhibition of found sculpture at the location of old Route 103 Warner NH:

I will create an art exhibit showing the forgotten road route 103 in Warner NH. This place represents to me as an artist the results of how the natural world takes over the cultural structures of man’s world once man has stopped maintaining it. Theses places are ecologically significant because they represent biodiversity during a time that is losing species at a rate of 27,000 per year. (Wilson, Edward O. The diversity of Life, The Belknap Press of Harvard university press, Cambridge, Mass.1992)

Humans need to become observers of our ecosystem if we are to “save the planet” we have no real appreciation that we are part of a very complex biology of which we know so little about.

What is needed to make this happen:

Permission from the town of Warner and the neighboring residence to hold this event?

(Turns out I needed no permission from anyone it is public land. I did talk to the guy who owns the house next to the spot. He was all for it.)

A date should be set May 15 (is my choice)

Print cards invitations

What will be at the exhibit:

The exhibit will take place at the bridge that crosses the Warner River off of Morris Loop. On display will be the found sculpture of route 103. Also on display will be photographs of other places this phenomenon has happened. Also on display will be the sketches and prototypes of an installation work by the artists about the nature/culture dichotomy.


This is what I ended up with:


I brought my sculptures to place them in this context. I like the boxes better on a wall here they blended in too much. But the 3D work seemed to be a nice addition to this made it a sculpture garden.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Art Opening this Saturday

I am having an opening!
On Saturday @ 10am in Sutton, NH.

I am creating a opportunity for people to come to the location of old route 103 and see my found sculptures. I'm planning on labeling the significant works, complete with instructions on which direction to look. We'll see how it goes I don't expect a huge turn out but I do know a few who are coming. I'll be documenting the process. More to come...

Tuesday, April 6, 2010


I've been doing some more photos and reading about entropy.

This is a shed at the bottom of my hill I believe it's been there since the 40s or 50s it has been unoccupied since the early 60s for sure although people have suck stuff in there over the years. Easier than the long trip to the dump I guess.








I have been working on this guy for a couple of weeks. Just finished yesterday with the glass
next is to install watering system, then plant the plants

Here is the progression:


Finished with grout in place.

I chose black to imitate pavement and make it look old.


The transformation was a little shocking. but I'm happy with it. I reminds me of something that might be in a subway station.I can't wait for the plants to start growing : )