Tim Bennett

Stephanie (Dulux Jungle Ginger 1)

I've been working towards my grad show for a little while now and I know I've mentioned my plan to construct an intervention in the gallery space in the form of a life sized conveyor belt system. I've realised that to have a dramatic affect on the room, with to have all the parts of the conveyor system I've opted to include, would take up far too much of the shared space that is our group show. I was introduced to Tim Bennett's work as an alternative way of displaying my idea. The conveyor system was never meant to be a functioning thing, infact quite the opposite. What I learnt from looking at Tim's work is that things can function without taking the literal format of what they mimik. The subtle suggestion in Tim's refined objects is a communication of a function at a more intelligent and sophisticated level. Its the shape and size of the corrigated panels which lead us to believe they are made of something more robust than the fragile plaster board they turn out to be. I understood that I wasnt required to illustrate a literal conveyor belt system to voice my ideas. In fact with a semi constructed scene consisting of parts that hint towards this final image there was alot more going on. The work functioned on the basis of my choices, the dialogue between material and the context to which it was installed is what activated the work and these links between what is present and the potential for things to happen is far more interesting.

Cardboard box, 2009

What has the 'making' brought to this work? Why would someone spend time making an object which already exists and is readily available? Not only readily available but as disposable and cheap as a cardboard box. Because I have invested this time and care into the box have i raised the the worth of this box? It may now have have more elegance and sculptural presence than the average cardboard box with its gloss painted interior and propt up presentation but essentially it functions no differently than any other cardboard box, its designed to contain an object of interest. I feel by treating the box in this manner and displaying it in this way I've offered the box itself as the object of interest, something that functions not only as a box but as a sculptural object.