Edward Parsons
St Mary's Cathedral College
THE COMMUTE
Sculpture
Monster clayâ, found materials
My body of work explores the public transport commute, highlighting the personal and humorous aspects of this mundane experience. Informed by my own reluctance to sit next to certain individuals based on appearance or mannerisms, my intent was to represent this unique liminal space that so many of us are familiar with. I used monster clay for its sensitive ability to express the fleshy likeness of an unnamed, yet familiar, commuter, framed by the bus seat. Viewers are invited to engage with the work, tentatively positioning themselves to occupy the empty seat, leave a tag or rummage through the briefcase.
Marker's Commentary
A sense of familiarity is evoked in the life size sculpture, The Commute. Bespectacled, conservatively dressed and shoes shined, the commuter stares mindlessly into the carriage on his routine journey. There is a precision in the slump of the figure, as he sits, nestled into the public transport seat, with a leather case, life worn from use and full of possessions, beside him. While referencing the realism of modern sculptors such as Ron Mueck and Duane Hansen, a knowingness of modelling with clay is exhibited in the lifelike and expressive facial features and pitted skin texture. The soundtrack conceptually places us in the carriage, reiterates the observations in the monotony of train travel and the memorable sounds of fellow carriage companions. There is success in the interactive nature of this sculpture, inviting the audience to participate in the narrative of the journey and the social connections within our world.