Stay

 

Piece Description

Medium: Sculpture


Dimensions: 6 ft by 3 ft by 2.5 ft


Parental love is endless, yet parental dependence is not. It runs on a clock constantly counting down to a time where the inevitable must occur, when the baby becomes an adult and explores a world of his or her own. In “Stay,” I explore how the process of becoming autonomous in a parental relationship is painful for all of those involved. In this piece, there is one human subject climbing out of the body of another. With this alienesque depiction, I portray two perspectives. In one the audience may feel the person coming out is the individual inflicting pain, or instead, that the person is being contained and held back by the other, and is forced to then break out on his or her own. I created this sculpture out of plaster because it is a complicated material that requires great attention to ratio, timing, layers, and volume. It is fragile, but hardens over time, and if not enough care is put in it will break and fall apart. This piece reflects my relationship with my parents, as no matter how much time and effort I put in to maintain the structure of our relationship, the act of becoming independent will risk it breaking and falling apart. With “Stay,” I attempt to understand and capture that relationship, show people the different perspectives relating to it, and share my discoveries with others.