Body bag 2, 15.8.21

Body bag 2, 15.8.21

Body bags: installation ideas

I realised I had to consider how I was planning to install my surreal body bags so that I could adjust the design accordingly. At this point I was planning 3 body bags, one for each installation, plus possibly a 4th separate knitted or felted sculpture, lurking. Here were my 3 scenarios:

14.8.21 Body bag 2: design ideas

Body bag 1 is sealed at one end so was potentially limited in how it could be installed, so I decided to make body bag 2 have an opening at each end, which would be reinforced by folding the plastic. This would mean that I could use eyelets if I wanted to, and also that I would have the option of suspending the bag from one of the curved metal forms. Here are my ideas. I rejected number 2 and went with number 3 as it's simpler and I felt that hanging the PVC would make its form more interesting anyway.

14.8.21 Body bag 2: stitching the flesh knitting into the zip

This time I chose the white continuous zipping, as I felt it merged better with the flesh colours. The 'right' side of the knitting will be inside the bag this time, and the long strands can potentially trail to the floor.

I feel that this is a curious object in its own right. I am mesmerised by the way that opening and closing the zip changes the form of the sculpture, and how it reveals and conceals different parts of the work as it's moved.

14.8.21 Body bag 2: wrestling that invisible beast, 3

This time I used white thread to stitch the PVC, again so that it would coordinate with my flesh colours.