Earlier this year I had a thought: what if a sculpture could be larger than the space used to transport itself. I immediately had visions of little tikes furniture that had slots, where when constructed, had stability without any hardware or previous knowledge. Thus, began the journey of creating a sculpture that could exist in the public realm and be noticeably large without harming the existing structures or asking for anything more than to consider how this temporary work affects where it is built.

My practice for the last couple years, has focused on using materials that are readily available and cheap: crayons, felt, cardboard, etc. So, I have the what and the how but I didn’t’ know the why. Why was I so intrigued by this idea of a temporary whimsical public sculpture? Why was the idea of train travel to a new location with a moveable sculpture excite me? Long story short, I did not know why I was making this thing; I was determined to force myself to complete and see it through. So, I booked a train trip to Richmond, Virginia, again not knowing what I was going to do at all and with a sculpture that was halfway completed.

The final week came and my trip was in ten days. Guess what? The sculpture was still not finished. So, I set to the grind stone to finish the work and head out. I had yet to build the sculpture in its entirety; I had never been to Richmond before; I had no idea where I was going to stay; I had no idea where I would even set up this thing. I’ll admit it and say that my anxiety was turned to 11. I had just spent way too much money with no return, and I wasn’t even sure this trip would be useful. I arrived at Main Street Station in Richmond with a sculpture, a backpack and MoMo. I turned to trivago and found a hotel in, what is called, Richmond Midtown. Six Miles from where I arrived. Clearly not downtown but Im trying to be adaptable.

After my first night, as I didn’t arrive to the hotel until 7 pm, I set out to find a place I could construct this sculpture that had yet to be built. I found a Joseph Bryan Park which would take me an hour and a half to walk to. That seemed as good as any other way to spend my day with this sculpture in a suitcase. So, I plugged the address in my phone and set out.

Within twenty minutes, I found a dilapidated warehouse with an empty lot that I couldn’t stop looking at. I made the move that this was apparently the first stop on this journey. Ignoring that little voice; I crossed the street. Listening to Dresden Dolls I began to build a sculpture I hadn’t ever seen completed.

This stop taught me everything I needed to know about why I built this sculpture. The bright colors and round organic shapes against the dense and rigid landscape of industrial America. The fact that humans have a spectrum of creation from the ridiculous of Rockos Modern Life to the hardworking back bone of industry. Let me tell you, was absolutely delighted in this juxtaposition. But, even more realizations were to come.

After I built the sculpture for the very first time, I realized it could not get as large and outreaching as I truly desired. Luckily, nearby stood a ‘no dumping’ sign that I could take advantage of. I leaned the unstable part of the sculpture on the sign and was able to extend an arm of the sculpture beyond what it could support itself. There is definitely a conversation to be had between two manmade self-standing structures but I was ecstatic about the conversation between my work needing other humans labor to exist. I felt that I was thanking the worker that installed this pole, as their work allows me to make such silly things and decisions. I continue to see the interconnectedness of the factory worker to the artist. We exist together and to ignore the feat which human are capable would be a shame.

This trip cost me so much money that I don’t have but I am grateful for what I learned. As this project moves forward, I believe it will be imperative for the work to only exist while interacting with an existing structure. I depend on non-artists to keep the country working and I want to show not only my appreciation for their work but how I can create a conversation with utility. That anything that is able to be altered can be made into something new. There is no entry fee to make something or be proud of your labor. I want to show that I am amazed by the ingenuity of humans and their ability to make. To create. To dream. To imagine