There has always been an extremely logical relationship between sculpture and the pedestal; the more appreciated work is put on top of a bland base. The base gives the artwork an environment, probably raises the piece to a desired height and, ultimately, supports the work. Understanding these three traditional features of the pedestal was very important to me and my work. 

     I wanted to show a similar effect but design the base with a more playful approach. I designed this piece to balance perfectly on itself. Without every element of the work the piece would not stand properly and it would fall to the ground. The most important piece would be the one that I have not constructed; the glass in the middle. If the organic wood sculpture was not centered perfectly in the middle, the two fabricated squares on the bottom would not be able to hold the weight and the glass would shatter. I wanted the artwork to support the base and, in turn, make the need for a pedestal obsolete. 

Description of assignment: 

Organic vs. Geometric – Both subtraction and fabrication methods will be used to create a singular cohesive work. In this assignment we will explore both the subtractive method of power wood carving as well as wood fabrication methods and discuss theory in relation to the sculptural object and its relationship to the pedestal or base. The work of Constantin Brancusi will be reviewed in depth raising the student’s consciousness of his/her object-base relationship, rejecting the idea of the “neutral base” for the sake of the assignment, and considering the full object presented with care, intentionality and perhaps playfulness.