Hotel Pupik

I’m spending the month between the 22nd of June and the 22nd of July in an artist colony in Schrattenburg, Austria.  Hotel Pupik is a summer residency program for all types of art.  At the moment an animation, dance choreography, and an installation are in the works.  By the end of our stay, performance art, jazz and experimental music will be joining the group for a presentation on the 18th of July. My wife, Tiffany Rhynard, has a residency in dance (see www.bigapensemble.com).  Isa and I came along for a month in Europe. Since arriving, I’ve been given 60 kilos of beautiful butterscotch colored clay and a space to work.

Hotel Pupik is housed in the farm buildings of a baroque castle built in 1680. The cross vault is used both in the castle and in the farm building.  This is a type of ceiling support where 2 barrel arches intersect each other at a right angle. The prevalence and beauty of this simple voluminous form intrigues me and has become the subject for a formal exploration.

At the moment, I’m trying a techniue that I haven’t used much.  I’m starting with a solid block of clay and carving the interior to make a slightly compartmentalized space. I’ll post some images of some of these shapes in the coming days.

cross vault in the castle