Stage Life
These pieces are an exploration of my idea for dramatic sculptures I created for a theatrical production in my Senior Independent Study. I aim to capture a liveliness in each figure, despite their static poses, and invoke as much humanity as I can with a skeletal wooden framework.
Much of the narrative of my Senior IS production is derived from ancient Greek drama. Whereas modern acting techniques are more gestural than those of the ancient Greeks, drama from that period depended on oral expression of action. Keeping with those conventions, I opted for more constrained poses. The figures do not need to hold the same poses a modern actor may take, but their lack of voice means they should still be expressive in some way. I chose simple, but evocative poses for their expression.
Constructed entirely of wood, I built the figures to replicate the human body. As bones join in complex ways, I used different techniques to achieve that range of motion. Then, once each could move, I pinned them to form the poses. Though not a replacement for actors, these figures are a step toward sculptures that could perform on their own, unconventional stage.
Patrick Wellman ‘22
Advisors: Daren Kendall, Studio Art; Naoko Skala, Theatre
All images copyright © 2022 Patrick Wellman. All rights reserved.
Begging forgiveness, Wood, steel rod, cotton fabric, PLA filament, 2022
From Exile to Asylum, Wood, steel rod, cotton fabric, PLA filament, 2022
An Unplanned Passing, Wood, steel rod, cotton fabric, PLA filament, 2022
A Deus Ex Machina Above Tragedy, Wood, steel rod, cotton fabric, PLA filament, 2022