Sandcasts

Contraceptive Misconception

Sand cast lead glass with copper, solid and flameworked lead glass inclusions painted with paradise paint. Highly polished on one side and mounted on pine wood with sillicone and beeswax with concrete base.

6' x5" x3"

2005

This is a work of art originally designed to speak out against the State of affairs in Africa. First conceived when the new pope was ordained in 2005. It speaks of the missionaries that brought religious instruction to the heart of darkness we call Africa. It speaks out against the dogma that contraception is against doctrine and finally it takes a long hard look at why so many have to die of famine and aids.

I cast my work at Carl Nordbruch's studio in the Isle of Wight. The wooden totems were cut to fit the masks and each mask was put in place using silicone and to finish - beeswax, which is a material which would be used in Africa. Bases of concrete were made for each totem and a wooden palette was fashioned to finish off the piece. The palette is sprinkled with pot pourri to emulate the word 'popery'. A child sized chair which is knocked over to symbolize death, is placed in front of the glass totems (totems are at the back to indicate history) and child sized table with knife, fork and no plate symbolizes famine and a knocked over empty glass indicates drought. These are in the foreground to indicate the present and future.