Dizygotic Sculpture

BIOGRAPHY: Summer Coleman (1994) is a UK artist based in the South of England. She comes from a family of collectors - of antiques and oddities. Having just completed a Bachelors degree in Fine Art at Bath Spa University she is currently working as an Artist with a view to complete an MA in 2018. Her work follows an interest in psychology and the relationships between the viewer and object. Her latest collection presented for the Bath Spa University 2017 Degree Show shows an interest in the appearance of crowd mentality and the development of the individual within the crowd. ARTIST STATEMENT: Pulled, pushed and extruded from lumps of clay figures begin to emerge with long, spindly limbs that break and crumble under the weight of the body. Pressing into the clay causes three holes to form two blackened eyes and an open mouth, staring vacantly at the viewer. Their relationship with the viewer is created to be one of trepidation, tension and concern which comes from an interest in the attract/repel response with objects. Creating objects that draw the viewer in with their accusing gaze and small scale, whilst repelling with their position of potential destruction, wide open mouth and unreadable expression. Placed within open spaces these figures face each other or turn away, choosing to react or ignore each other within the space they occupy. As in ‘Pile 01’ where a gathering of palm sized heads are piled atop each other, individuals vying for a position within their given space. Many of them also occupy spaces upon the floor, causing the viewer themselves to bend or crouch to their level. Therefore, changing the way that they engage with the space. This also serves to bring the viewer to the level of the object, which brings its inspiration from Batille’s idea of ‘The Low’ as describing the dirty or discarded within society. This comes from an interest in the view within society of those we consider below us, however, within this work I have twisted the idea of the poor or physically disabled to those who suffer from mental illnesses. Using the afore mentioned attract/repel response within the sculptures as way of highlighting our inherent response to difference or what is considered abnormal.