Sean Connaughty

Recently, I have
been building pod-like structures made of salvaged green branches, utilizing
properties of tension and resistance to create globular forms. These are large
and strong enough to support people inside of them. As with the ongoing Bigloo project, I explore materials abundantly available in
this specific region. Working with familiar and often overlooked materials I
thoroughly engage with the limits and possibilities of them. These structures
reference the history of humans’ involvement with the natural world. They
recall a survival-based relationship to the environment, often resembling
animal or early human dwellings.

My process is
intentionally fluid and improvisational; I react to my surroundings and
experiment within them. An important part of making my work is discovering a
new material or a new approach – I gain energy from unfamiliar territory. A
pattern has evolved in my work, integrating my ongoing conversation with my
environment, reflections on human involvement with the natural world and
experimental objects that allude to our history and our future.

suspended sculpture created from bent green branches, Through an agreement with city employees I have been able to collect green branches from the cities tree-trimming crews to create my latest works. As is my usual approach, I experiment with permutations of a material. I have been utilizing properties of tension and resistance to create these globular structures. The most recent of these are large and strong enough to support persons inside of them. I continue to expand upon the idea without limitations.