2013
Portia Maché
Papier Mache Sculpture | Solo Exhibition
About
At the invitation of curator Channon Goodwin I was invited to create a solo show at Bus Projects. Then positioned behind the Collingwood Porsche dealership, Entitled “RIDE” I created "Portia Maché" A life-sized, hand-made, non - functioning, papier maché, replica of a Porsche 911 Carrera convertible. Exploring the parallels between folk art & brand worship. As I, someone with then, no driving experience found myself lusting over vintage cars for sale online. Placing them on my wish list through my cracked iPhone 3 screen.
This project was assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
This work was later shortlisted for the Incinerator Galleries, Incinerator Prize for sustainable art in 2014. Before finally being put to Rest.
Collaborators
Australia Council
Bus Projects
Channon Goodwin
Andrew Truong, Noriko Nakamura, Christopher Sciuto, Melanie Neal, Celeste Rowe & Evan Rowe
Role
Funding Body
Gallery
Curator
Studio Assistance
Flyer Designed by Simon Browne.
Studio Photography Courtesy of Elloise Grills
Growing up, I watched my mother papier mache pinata’s for our birthday’s every year. In 2001 she crafted a Gold Dragon so strong that my father needed to get out an axe to break it apart. So I enlisted her in assisting in this construction when I was down to the wire.
Materials include cardboard, egg cartons, newspaper, corn flour, water, packing tape, masking tape, gaffa tape, aluminium foil, acrylic paint & steel wool sponges.
In order to move the work from my studio to the gallery the car was built in three main pieces that sat on top of a collection of cinder blocks. The wheels and seats were also unattached to make it easier to transport.
Despite measuring the work to ensure it fit down the stairs of my second storey studio and out the door, after months of work the door had expanded and could not fully open. We either had to take the door off it’s hinges OR as the building was an old factory, use its defunct door at the back of the second floor. That was entirely not OHS by 21st century standards. We used the back door.
My brother attached a roof rack cable around his waist and the other end around each segment of the car. Gentled lowering them down onto his actual car to drive it to the gallery.
Gallery Images Courtesy of Cristo Crocker