Below are project notes and a small selection of work-in-progress images, photos, and videos.
The project began with rough sketches, then refined in a 3D modeling software as digital sculpture. The latter process helps me to previsualize the sculpture and plan out the materials' dimensions as well as construction.
The project was one of the most challenging projects personally due to materials that I have never or rarely have worked with before, such as acrylic plastic, epoxy resin, wood, and cement. Additional challenges came from building the totem in separate elements for easier transport and for making them fit to an existing outdoor, wooden post. The totem elements then had to have hollow, interior construction.
I have worked with lenticular sheets in the past, but they have always been pre-fabricated lenses which had 40 grooves per inch. This time, I wanted to create my own lenses that were forty times larger at 1 inch (2.54 cm) per groove. I initially used 1-inch half-round acrylic rods, but I quickly learned that half-round acrylics alone do not create the lenticular effect. I needed greater distance from my images to create the effect. I could have used additional layer of plexiglass, but I ended up using epoxy resin instead. The frame around the acrylic rods and epoxy were 3D printed PETG in multiple parts and glued together.
For the main body, I used various wood boards, plywood, old canvas frames, and wood scrap pieces. Exterior wood glue, hundreds of nails and screws were also used in the construction. The interior parts were built with expandable PVC and plywood.
For the masks, I used a combination of 3D-printed PETG, plywood, scrap wood, paper, masking tape, aluminum foil, cardboard, glue, paint, and thinset cement.
All elements were coated with exterior enamel paint for protection against outdoor elements.
View completed project here:
The Guardians of Memories
The Guardians of Memories
Below photos and images by the artist. On-site installation photos by Kelly White.
