Shelby Baldridge
Shelby Baldridge MFA Visual Studies
Adventuring Anemones & Virtual Environment Visions
Summary of Works
Adventuring Anemones & Virtual Environment Visons is a series of documentation
images of my sculptural work that I specifically formatted for digital/ two-dimensional viewing. Three of the twelve images displayed showcase my large-scale sculptures that are intended for our thesis exhibition; two of these images are manipulated on photoshop in an effort to imagine hypothetical visions for my physical installation when the work is able to be completed. I took the liberty of adding unrealistic backdrop to the work in Submersion Version as a playful commentary on the virtual space we are all interacting with at this time.
The series of nine photos titled Adventuring Anemones are different iterations of staging scenes with small sea anemone sculptural objects in different environments and settings intended to mimic a wild ecosystem or highlight certain qualities of anemones as in Plushy ‘Nems. This project has been an enjoyable way for me to reconnect with the exploration aspect of my art practice, and also experiment with different possibilities for integrating photography into my sculptural practice. The act of taking existing works into new environments has been a feasible mode of expression and creativity during this COVID-19 pandemic where space and facilities to work in are limited. Last but not least, digitally manipulating some of these photographs has incorporated my past training with graphic design and opened up some new possibilities for sharing work with a wider audience and at a more rapid pace.
Statement
Driven by curiosity for the external world, my art practice investigates the relationship between humanity and the nonhuman living world; especially the collision between synthetic manufactured objects and living organisms. Formerly a painter, my work maintains an emphasis on color, but has shifted into the three-dimensional realm of sculpture and installation. I construct whimsical, dynamic forms that reference living organisms such as corals, fungi, or plants out of a range of materials and everyday items. Although these sculptures mimic natural forms, they are constructed primarily out of synthetic post-consumer waste materials that contain sharply contrasting associations. This clash between form and materiality complicates the man/nature binary and draws attention to society’s impact on all ecosystems.
In addition, I am to elevate the importance of the subjects I portray by exaggerating their scale; many free-standing sculptures are approximately human height and therefore become anthropomorphic and figurative. By arranging these creature-like sculptures in proximity to one another, I suggest interconnectivity between species and elude to mutualistic or symbiotic relationships. My goal is to incite curiosity and encourage playful exploration of the forms and materiality in the space of my installations. I hope to provide a positive experience for the viewer that can serve as a metaphor of the potential for positive interactions between people and other species.
