10 Views

1

View In My Room

Embracing Entropy #2 Sculpture

Robert Mertens

United States

Sculpture, 3d Sculpting on Found Objects

Size: 36 W x 96 H x 36 D in

Ships in a Crate

$14,500

Shipping included

14-day satisfaction guarantee

Trustpilot Score

10 Views

1

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Crochet, Wool, felting, steel wool, rust, speaker wire, Subwoofer. In “Embracing Entropy” I quietly and grotesquely reveal the body as an object of contemplation to consider the dynamics of decay, self-reflection and recovery. Utilizing wool and steel to create forms reminiscent of internal organs and tumors via crochet, basketry, wet felting, and rust dyeing; objects become extension of the human figure. Amplified bodily sounds pushed to the point of distortion are the pulse and score animating the sculptures. I view the body as an archeological site. Scars, stretchmarks, and blemishes can be read like artifacts, glyphs or midden sites and the processes used in the artwork inform its content and metaphors. Raw wool mixed with ungalvanized steel is wet felted; causing the wool to contort in unpredictable ways and the steel to rust. The accumulation of stitches act as cells in the body and felting is the environment that forms us. The random shaping of the felting process is a metaphor for a lack of control and the rusting process leads to the “death” of the form over time. Sound is used to give the artwork a living presence, expressing the emotions felt after being diagnosed with cancer.

DETAILS AND DIMENSIONS
Sculpture:

3d Sculpting on Found Objects

Original:

One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:

36 W x 96 H x 36 D in

SHIPPING AND RETURNS
Delivery Time:

Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.

My research combines ideas of eschatology, acoustics, handcraft and loss; which I manifest in hybrid sculptures and installations. My practice is driven by concepts related to fragmentation, spirituality, repetition, pattern, interconnection and the emphasis of meaning found in craft processes. I search for broken narratives, end-time beliefs, quotidian gestures, textile structures, and the echo of entropy. In my work, I consider the shifting nature of craft and tradition by deconstructing ideas of progression and time. I often employ traditional craft techniques such as weaving, felting, quilting and hand embroidery and combine them with advanced prototyping technology such as laser-cutting, digital fabric printing, and digital Jacquard hand weaving. I triangulate between the poetics of electricity, the production of the hand and daydreams of dystopia. How does humanity perceive its relationship to technology changing? Why is string considered any different than 3D printing? What tension can be gleaned from understanding this perceived difference or continuous blurring?

Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

We deliver world-class customer service to all of our art buyers.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Our 14-day satisfaction guarantee allows you to buy with confidence.

Global Selection of Emerging Art

Explore an unparalleled artwork selection by artists from around the world.

Support An Artist With Every Purchase

We pay our artists more on every sale than other galleries.