Flotsam
Flotsam
wood, steel, rope, cable, wire & plexiglass 9'(h) x 13'(w) x 20'(d)
Flotsam is a large construction that demonstrates Matthew’s interest in combining engineered structures and delicate effects to create a contemplative space. This work compresses the overwhelming event of a flood into a personal, traversable scale.
Monumental in its character, Flotsam uses large columns and bridge like bulwarks to suggest human achievement and grandness. However, an intimate interior space for more personal interaction and introspection is established beneath a waterline created by an array of suspended transparent shapes. Proximity to the waterline changes by crossing a circular bridge that encloses the back of the space.
The circular design of the installation centers on a sculpted tortoise suspended inches above small crafted boats that seem to have been deposited by nature’s force. The tension of the tortoise, attached by rope to boats, signifies indecision in the midst of an event like a flood.
