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KEVIN DRAPER
Wetlands 2022 Forged and welded steel, paint 170 x 170 x 77cm NFS This artwork references the hinterland of the southern coastal region, with a particular focus on the Torbay Inlet. I have chosen a waterbird’s webbed foot as my motif. I am interested in the webbed foot as a symbol as it can transcend spaces - representing water, land and air. I have always been drawn to coastal landscapes where freshwater meets the sea. There is a mythical quality to these places. I have used forged steel as my medium to construct over 100 webbed bird’s feet. Each one is slightly different to the other. Hot, forged steel is ideal for this type of interpretation, as it gives the linear steel a drawing-like quality. I have integrated the bird’s feet into a steel gridded form. This grid structure is simply a reference to indexing, mapping and demarcation of the natural environment. The grid responds to a system that our culture overlays across the plants and animals of a given area for both good and ill. A section of the grid mimics red and white warning tape, intersecting at right angles. This red and white element emphasises the sense of demarcation. The book “Swanland” by Anne Brearley and Ernest P Hodgkins, was an extremely valuable reference in relation to the Torbay catchment area. PHOTOS Photo 1. Completed artwork – detail. Photo 2. Work in Progress 1 Photo 3. Work in progress 2 Photo 4. Work in Progress 3 Photos by Kevin Draper |