Evolution of the child Backpack: Complete
Title: Relinquish
Materials: welded steel, forged, fabricated, rust, thread, pigment
Statement:
I have been making objects that ask, “Will you disregard? Will you look away? Will you leave me?” In Humiliated Duffel, there were signs of mending and care despite functional flaws such as a broken zipper and soiled interior contents. However, unlike the duffel, Relinquish, has been left behind.
As an artifact, this backpack has succumbed to external powers. The material in Relinquish reinforces a petrified experience. Rust has consumed the surface and mingled with evidence of the previous backpack color. Variations in the rust tones indicate sweat, injury, and a combination of old and new bruising. I see the backpack itself as representative of the child owner. I’m interested in the moment of impact as well as the evidence of sustained injury. In the side pocket, a small blue rubber dinosaur suggests a brief moment of comfort in the composition, or the possibility of relief.
