Marco Carofalo ART

I love how working on one project can influence the other; this was apparent when considering my monuments response and what materials I could use to present my sculpture. This was based on the current culling of pigs, due to the lack of skilled butchers. I was thinking if the response could be short lived and actually involve the display of a pigs carcass vacuum packed. From this idea, I thought how this could translate to vacuum packing items from the natural environment and then transporting them to the studio space. This acted as a form of printmaking where one surface would interact with the other and produce a textured surface.

The above images are taken from a cycle route in Bedfordshire, all of the objects have been discarded and left to the forces of the environment. I wanted to take these elements of my space and transport them to London where I am studying and have them displayed in juxtaposition to the prints I make. There is a relationship to natural and manufactured objects; the fallen light column looks like a tree and I think of how many tress where removed to make way for the industrial processes that took place in the area.
        I wanted to vacuum pack some rubble and tree branches, which proved not to be a straightforward task. There is so much to consider, it is not a simple act of just taking an item and placing it in a bag to be preserved. I was instantly mindful of the environment and the direct space of a tree branch that was left discarded on the forest floor. What was taking place on that branch? I would carefully inspect the branch and ensure there were no insects taking refuge on the organic surface. It took quite some time to find the perfect branch that had no living organisms I could see, and that it would fit the dimensions of the vacuum bag. I feel the act of me, the artist, selecting a particular object starts to elevate that item and transforms it onto a type of artefact. This becomes more apparent when it is vacuum packed and all the atmosphere is removed. It's purpose has changed, the surface is different, and there is now a relationship between the natural and artificial.

The vacuum packing of the above tree branches and rubble make me observe them in a totally different way. The surface and feel has changed; are these now preserved.....will they last? I'm excited to see how I can work with the above items in the studio space to display them with other prints.