The sideways view

As you can see I am still chewing over the nourishment I received from my visit to the Bite Size exhibition.  The quality of this exhibition, like many in the series has been outstanding for me.  Not only has it introduced the work of extraordinary makers but also has inspired my own work.  One aspect in particular has un-jammed my thinking to enable me to leap forward with my ideas.
Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time will know that I witter on from time to time about my thinking about aspects of 3D.  Well, something finally gelled when I saw some of the pieces in the Bite Size show.

Michael Brennand-Wood's piece Flower Heads (embroidered blooms, acrylic, pencils, resin, and wire on wood base) started it off.  By being bright, recognisable, and hung in a corner I went to it first, taking this side-on snap before squiging myself round to take a font-on view as seen here.  I love those multiple views of the coloured pencils, the flower stems, the angles on the flowers, etc.  The piece is so animated, and although still miniature it explodes beyond its actual space.

Squiging myself again, and hence the dreadful snap - apologies, directly opposite Flower Heads is Masae Bamba's Black water (25 x 18 x 14cm, cotton cloth) which looks mildly intriguing until moving round to the side.

The artist is intent on expressing in cloth something about water - which she says 'for me ... is symbolic of beauty and life.'  Even without the title the sideways view brings more than simply a different dimension to the work - and I also so like seeing the supporting shelf and wing nut too.

Liz Nilsson's Veiling and Unveiling (25 x 25 x 10cm  cotton satin, PVC mosquito netting, embroidery fabric, embroidery thread, Perspex fitting) also had me entranced.  From the front it is mysterious, intriguing, theatrical, ... all of which qualities as well as being architectural are increased when given a sideways view.

Somehow, even with some of the layers unveiled, the mysterious quality remains, simply in another dimension.  In looking at this intense small work from the side I also started to imagine myself in there, walking between the layers.  Heady stuff these miniatures!

Ealish Wilson's Jabara 1 (digitally printed Tyvek with mizuhiki strings) is of course presented for best possible otherwise viewing all from one spot.  It is possible not only to see into the form, but also the mirror at the base reflects the bottom narrower outer section.
It was my comparing the fully rounded 3D pieces with the in some senses apparently more limited sideways view pieces which clicked with me.  I immediately returned to a piece which I had made as an exercise to use up fabric paints.  (Which just goes to show how wise the Irish are - as in the old joke: ask an Irishman how to get somewhere, and the answer you get is 'I wouldn't start from here'!)

I realise now without knowing it then that what I was trying to achieve was a sideways view from the front.  And this is what is filling my mind at present - triggered and fuelled by a smashing show of wee pieces, only a few of which I have mentioned in my posts.