Stasis

2018, PROJECT

For Shift and Stasis, I learnt to French Polish, a technique associated with fine wooden furniture. The aim was to bring life to raw, cut wood, transforming it through the sanding, smoothing and preparing of the rough sawn ends, and the subsequent application of many fine layers of French polish. The polished surface references labour, care and industry involved in wood and land management, as well as the wood we bring into our homes as furniture (or as in Shift as fire-wood), highlighting human relationships with, and attitudes to materials & nature.
Both Shift and Stasis are transitional objects between nature and sculpture. The processes and materials embody time, connection, transformation and mutability and raise questions of value and worth.
The work draws together interests in trees and ecology, materials, in craft, industry and site through translation and transformation.

Please visit Projects for more information on Philippa’s work with Hestercombe House.