Ideas behind “Cast Shadows”:

1. The process of casting iron is a fleeting event that leaves residue in different ways. Works submitted address this phenomenon in various way.
2. Artists who utilize cast iron produce “permanent” products in iron not only as work unto itself, but also as document to the event.

3. Iron casting process is connected to a long history of metal art, industry, and human history. Cast iron artworks are in a sense living in the shadows cast by this rich past. As well, contemporary artists are casting their own shadows onto those around and into the future.

4. There is a digital relationship between the curators from Illinois and North Carolina. There is a line like a cast shadow from a sundial that goes back and forth between Denton and Akagawa, two gnomon.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Jessica Marie Bradsher

Rocking Horse
Cast iron. 6” x 5” x 2”

This piece is reminiscent of a child's toy, which is generally something that is safe and soft. The cast rocking horse is meant to be a symbol of permanence rather than a child-friendly object. Even if the scale were proportional for a child's use, it would not be functional. Cast Iron is cold, and heavy. Viewing this piece is meant to remind us of our past. Our past is ever-present in our memories, and we never know when something will spark a memory. This piece is a shadow in that phenomenon. My goal is for viewers to look at this piece and remember their own experience with childhood toys. They may realize that those same toys are now gone. They could be thrown away, ripped, and broken. This piece is less easily broken but reflects the wear and tear of years gone by.
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