Several months ago I saw Jack Sal’s work in "Art In America" and realized we are working with similar ideas and materials. When working with corrosives there is a time element involved for the chemical reactions take place. Consequently, the traces of mineral build up and rust in my work is caused by rain and partially burying the steel plates in mounds of leaves that fell last fall. This project has been going on for over a year now. Another part of this project involves found objects buried in concrete. Again there is a time element, which started with thinking, then writing, followed by inspiration, hunting for the objects, and then preparing forms and waiting for concrete to set up. I like the way Sal mounts the metal onto concrete with bolts.
The idea of burying things and digging them up later is fascinating. My backyard is sort of a voodoo graveyard for evil brought my way that I need to get rid of. There is no wicked karma that I can't handle with a shovel and some dirt. Unfortunately sometimes I must bury birds that hit the windows and when needed coins for good luck. I bury leftover kitchen, fruit and vegetable waste near specific plants rather than throw them in a large compost heap. In particular, my roses love a banana peel so it seems more efficient for me to feed certain plants what makes them grow best. Sometimes vermin dig them up before the plants get them but I feel that there is enough for everyone. These images are from the buried steel plate project.
