Lorgnette

In this series I am concerned with the way that objects mediate the world, markers of time and the significance of ornament and decoration. I have chosen to construct devices that can change perception of the world (lorgnette, the visor of a helmet, ear trumpets, opera glasses, etc.) but also change how the user is viewed when using them. One cannot peer through a lorgnette and not make oneself conspicuous. It is as though world view of an individual has become a physical object. The pieces mediate reality through anachronistic devices. They address the question of how the world sees us when we look through devices to see the world.

These objects are not rooted in a specific time period but are clearly from the past. I want this sense of history to be a reminder of time passing. Time will win in the end, time will take everything, but this sentiment need not cause despair. The only things worth having can be gained only through time. It is a bargain we make with time. In these pieces I am using decoration and ornament to represent the incremental passage of time. Each decorative element marks time spent, both in the making of that element and in the time it took to gain the ability to construct the element. Hand made ornament marks the passage of time.