Standing Upright and Hanging by a Thread
Holland Area Arts Council
October 11-November 1
This exhibition features work the summer research project “Investigating the Possibilities of Constructed Surfaces in Sculpture“. Walcott and Funston studied historical precedents, contemporary trends, and theoretical underpinnings in surface treatment techniques toward content development in this exhibited body of work. Surface treatments—such as encaustic, silicone, metal patinas, and flocking—can transform a sculpture’s appearance, function, and meaning. Working parallel, but independently, each artist incorporated these surface experiments into the works shown in this exhibition. This project was generously funded by the Borgeson Scholars Program at Hope College.
Exhibition Statement
“Standing Upright and Hanging by a Thread” explores themes of support, strength, allure, and fragility. Both artists create works that begin with the familiar and end in the uncanny. Many of the pieces take cues from anatomy—such as bones, ligaments, and muscles—as well as architectural elements. Recognizable materials and objects are combined in surprising ways, challenging assumptions and raising questions.
Funston’s pieces navigate the space between playfulness and confrontation, embracing the surreal with uncanny forms and surfaces. Erect objects covered in fur resemble segmented animal forms. By crafting lures from delicate materials like lace and buttons, she subverts traditional ideas of predatory enticement.
Walcott’s sculptures are composed of everyday load-bearing structures and utilitarian objects that have been repeatedly broken and mended resulting in broken grids, precarious balance, and unpredictable forms. These reconfigured pieces stand like figures, embodying the wear and tear of support structures while struggling to hold together. The work reflects a tension between collapse and repair, inside and outside, comfort and grief.