How do you bring the history of an artistic technique to life in an accessible way? This piece is a miniature homage to two artists, Eva Hesse (Repetition Nineteen III) and Rachel Whiteread (Untitled Chair Casting), each of whom celebrated the process of casting while simultaneously challenging the traditions of the technique. Casting typically produces serial repetition of identical units but Hesse and Whiteread purposely allowed the subtle differences of each cast to show. In this piece I used traditional techniques to create the castings, but just as Hesse and Whiteread pushed the boundaries of traditional casting, I also purposed to create variety in each cast, rather than make each piece identical. I embraced the imperfections and enjoyed investigating the result of changing how I stirred the plastic and how I shook the Hydrocal. Centered on Hesse and Whiteread’s experimental play with materials, I further expressed “play” through the checkerboard-esque arrangement of the casts. This familiar form makes it more accessible and appealing to the general public, drawing them into the piece.
