Max Roche

The Scots College

EQUIPOISE (THE BALANCE OF FORCES)

Sculpture

Steel rods, foam

My body of work investigates the paradox of internal tension: forces that seem to pull us down can also be what hold us together. The smaller figures in my work are represented as if dragging the central body off balance, yet their ropes and positions are structurally responsible for supporting it. Carving foam over a steel-rod armature, my intention was to demonstrate weight, strain and suspension without solidity, and the pose's precariousness. I invite audiences to consider how our most disruptive thoughts often underpin our stability, and the constant negotiation required to stay upright amid competing pressures within the self.

My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Alberto Giacometti, Franz Xaver Messerschmidt.