Concrete tubes in the making now ...

The next step towards creating a fluid, interchangeable sculpture involving concrete tubes and looped wire, was to figure out the best way to model the concrete. Also, I wanted to incorporate what I have figured about the texture I wanted to create on them. Those concrete pieces should be working as individuals as well as in as group (or lined up on wire) 2) and potentially function as tactile objects or even fidgeting tools. 1) 7)

I wanted a texture that resembled some sort of fatty tissue (again, as inspired by my interest in nervous tissue) as well as a surface that feels pleasant to the touch. After all, I found in my scientific research, that smooth surfaces trigger the highest readings of pleasant emotions in people. 1) 3) 4) 5) 10) 12) 

In order to create a surface that is smooth but still has interest both texturally and visually, I found a latex mould that I created from a clay model, worked well. As a supporting shape, I decided to use cardboard tubes from loo rolls. Lightweight and pliable and better than plastic pipe which is too rigid for this purpose:

First dip into concrete mix to stabilise cardboard tubes

I also masked off a sample of looped wire 2) to model the concrete on it directly, finding out whether the concrete causes corrosion on the wire

The ceramicist Lesley Risby inspired me to try this. She uses fabric strips dipped in porcelain slip and drapes them onto delicate baskets of nichrome wire (kiln wire). After firing, the clay remains and creates the most intricate vessels. 8) 9)

The next layers: grey - black - white

latex imprint on the final layer of a smooth white mix

References

1) Bingley, A., 2012. Touching Space in Hurt and Healing: Exploring Experiences of Illness and Recovery Through Tactile Art. In: M. D. Mark Patterson, ed. Touching Space, Placing touch . Lancaster: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, pp. 71-88.

2) Cornell, D., 2006. The Sculpture of Ruth Asawa: Contours in the Air. CA: University of California Press 1st edition .

3) Cyril Bertheaux, R. T. R. F. J.-C. R., 2020. Emotion Measurements Through the Touch of Materials Surfaces. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience | www.frontiersin.org.

4) Major, D. R., 1895. On the affective tone of simple sense-impressions. American Journal of Psychology, Issue 7, p. 57–77.

5) Marina Iosifyan, O. K., 2019. Emotions associated with different textures during touch, Moscow: National Research University Higher School of Economics.

6) Masters, C.-L., 2005. CLAY SCULPTURE WITHIN AN OBJECT RELATIONAL THERAPY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL-HERMENEUTIC CASE STUDY.. Department of Psychology Rhodes University Grahamstown.

7) Mennillo, M., 2018. Stop touching things! The role of fidget toys - OTFC. [Online] 

Available at: https://occupationaltherapychildren.com.au/stop-touching-things-the-role-of-fidget-toys/[Accessed 2019].

8) Risby, L., 2018. http://contemporaryceramics.blogspot.com/2018/12/lesley-risby-maker-since-young-age.html. [Online].

9) Risby, L., n.d. http://www.craftpotters.com/cpa-members-profiles-r/. [Online].

10) Shiv R. Bhatta, K. T. K. V. M. H. a. M. K., 2017. Sensory and Emotional Perception of Wooden Surfaces through Fingertip Touch. Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org, 13 March.Volume 8.

11) Stellar, J. E. & John-Henderson, N., 2015. Positive Affect and Markers of Inflammation: Discrete Positive Emotions Predict Lower Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines. American Psychological Association, 15(2), pp. 129-133.

12) Verrillo, R. T. B. S. J. &. M. F. P., 1999. Subjective magnitude of tactile roughness. Somatosensory and Motor Research, Issue 16, p. 352–360.