In this world, it’s difficult sometimes to find something truly genuine. Everything seems to be derivative of some earlier idea. In her We’re Going on Vacation series, sculptor Erin McKenna takes fragments of hot tubs and plays with their inherent imitator qualities to create sculptures recalling sea life, both of the artificial and organic variety.
Brominator, altered piece of hot tub, glitter, flocking, sculptamold, enamel paint, 19x9x13
So hot tubs are designed to look like the inside of shells– thinking that somehow our simple minds might be fooled into thinking we are in some sort of tropical hot spring instead of where we really are, a plastic box full of chlorinated water. McKenna takes broken pieces of jacuzzi plastic and reminds us of the artificiality they represent by recreating them into artificial representations of actual seashells.
Crest, altered piece of hot tub, glitter, flocking, sculptamold, Great Stuff, enamel paint, 19x12x15
Clam, altered piece of hot tub, resin, glitter, flocking, paper mach, enamel paint, 31x23x15
Shell, altered piece of hot tub, resin, glitter, flocking, paper mache, enamel paint, 15x8x9
I think that’s what I find most interesting about McKenna’s Vacation series.. the glorification of imitation. Taking an object that emulates nature and fashioning it into objects that parody that same nature. There’s a parallel with our own lives in there somewhere. How often do we borrow ideas only for them to echo back to us their counterfeit nature?
Crustacean, altered piece of hot tub, glitter, flocking, sculptamold, enamel paint, 12x16x8
To see more of Erin McKenna’s work, please visit her website.
All images via the artist’s website.
