I wanted the ‘human form’ for doomscrolling to be egregiously human, too human, too fleshy and too imperfect. I used hands only, rubbing and moving the entire block of clay into a shape that vaguely suggests a face, skin, the lumps and bumps. I got a lot of my anger out whilst doing so. Anger at societies move away from appreciation of the natural, of the imperfect and into the digital, the clean and the logical. The form itself isn’t logical, there were movements where it was starting to look too recognisable and I would instantly destroy it.

Wrapping this form into thin wire, allowing it to cut, allowing it to go deep into the ‘flesh’, representing the feeling of being trapped, confined and damaged by the succumbing to the addictions of technology. In its trapping, it deforms us.

The creation of the Phone is alot more formulaic, using a self made sewing pattern, setting up my sewing machine and carefully creating a stuffed version of a phone. The fierceness and freedom in the creation of the clay organic form juxtaposes beautifully against the process I am now going through. Methodical, using the technology of my Singer. Using the guides and measurements to make sure it looks correct.

The wire I used to trap the human form and wrap around is too thin to hold the phone up. I experiment with a prototype but it kept falling over and needs something a lot more sturdy. More wire? No that didn’t work either. Creating a framework? Nope neither does that.

I have therefore bought 3mm thick bendy metal wire to integrate into the piece, I’m a little apprehensive as to whether it will ‘fit’ the piece, will it be obvious that the thick wire was included for practical purposes, how do I incorporate without this being the case?

Whilst I am creating the phone, I am also varnishing with a matt varnish, the shine of a gloss I feel would have made it feel less earthy.