Space to be able, 2010

This piece was inspired by the potential of materials, our over use of resources and the need to feel a connection to the spaces we are in. I wanted to reuse materials, as I have always been concerned for our relationship to our environment.

One image show mapping out the shape of the piece as a I prepared to make the wooden frame. One image shows collecting the cans. It wasn’t pleasant to clean them! I used a big plastic sand bath outside to wash them all.

Visitors are invited to remove their shoes before they enter. The sensory elements in this work aim to connect the visitor to this work. To feel connected is (for me at least)  calming: similar to meditation where you observe sound and light and feel the ground underfoot.

Reflecting back on this piece in 2022 it seems even more relevant as we try to find balance and calm in a frantic world – and need to balance our relationship too it. Both are connected.

Statement on the work

In Space to be able (2010) lines of cans act as threads together creating a wall of fabric that hangs off a circular structure. The 1004 cans are all re-used, mostly collected from a recycling centre and cleaned by the artist. The installation is a sensory environment that appeals to sound and touch: creating a separate, atmospheric space within the gallery. The structure is formed by an everyday waste material in multiple – highlighting the potential of materials to transform a space and be transformed.