Experiments with the concept of "Shedding Skin"

The following photographs document my work involving the concept of "Shedding Skin". It is an important concept in my poem.

I first experimented with different tools and the effect these tools have on wood and leather. I collected the dust and this analysis helped me to come to the conclusion that I was going to use a variety of tools with this work.

I began working on the chair, shedding its skin.

I liked the way the wood peeled. I liked hacking away at the chair. I received feedback that the inside of the chair looked like the muscles inside the body.

I liked the way the leather wore down, creating new patterns on the "skin". I purposely sliced diagonally inwards from the bottom left and corner and pulled the stuffing out.

I liked the patterns created by the dust when working. I did some experimental photography which I will show later.

The glamorous edge to this sculpture are the dancing shoes displayed above, which themselves look as if they are shedding their skin.

I experimented with close up of the worn leather and the chair.