Shoulderscape I & II comment on the body in, on and as part of the landscape. Human shoulders emerge from raw stone, a neck and chest dissolve into deep folds of sliced marble. Beyond this, the sculptures eschew further anatomical detail, transitioning into curved, concave, polished planes resembling oyster or clam shells. These shell-like features contrast with the rough, un-carved marble, emphasizing its natural, unaltered state.
Marble, as a material, encapsulates time compressed into crystallized layers. Through the alchemical forces of heat and pressure, it encapsulates a condensed history of the Earth. In Shoulderscape I & II the fragility of the body is pictured within the permanence of marble, prompting reflection on geological deep time and our fleeting existence within it.
As part of the Dark Optimism: Ghost in the Stone series, Shoulderscape I & II evoke landscapes reminiscent of mountain peaks and valleys. They explore the interplay between macro and microcosms inherent in working with material extracted from mountains and then sculpted to mimic them. At the core of the series lies the intention to rewild marble by embracing an alternative temporality — that of geological deep time.