Scrap Value

What is more important: the artistic value of the materials that make the sculpture or the monetary value of the materials themselves?

I grew up learning about cars and how to fix them through watching my father. However, I was never allowed to actually participate in the process due to my gender believed to be inferior in the otherwise male-dominated field of automotive repair. Based on debates with my father, Scrap Value prioritizes the artistic value of scrap metal, discarded car parts, and repurposed car seat upholstery over their monetary value. 

Reminiscent of a car, the infrastructure is dilapidated from the environment and processes of welding and metalworking needed to make the sculpture. Juxtaposed with meticulously crafted textiles, the piece is reclaimed through woven car seat upholstery, stereotypically feminine colors and designs, and a throne dedicated to the celebration of self-empowerment. Motifs of circular forms as connectivity in craft and personal placement in an atmosphere of respect instill my own sense of acceptance and self-discovery in gender and identity. Scrap Value redresses internalised ambivalence about the worth of women and traditionally domestic practices for craft-based techniques as fine art.