Ensayo sobre la tensión

2022
Stoneware clay, natural and synthetic yarn, wool. 
6’x 7’x 5’

Ensayo sobre la tensión is a material study from which I attempt to understand the dynamics and connections that exist between people in my life. Using clay and textiles as a representation of the body and bodily experiences, I explore how these materials can be shaped and pushed into states and situations that seem unusual to their nature. The hardness associated with fired clay clashes with the fragility and suppleness of the coil shapes, and the comfort and malleability of the yarn is disrupted by the ropes being pulled in angular tension. 

The disparity between this given representation and the nature typically associated with these materials shows how people reshape to cope with tension existing in relationships –to support someone else's weight, to let yourself be supported. Altogether, the piece is also a representation of a delicate equilibrium of the involved parts.