Paper short abstract:

A presentation on my work in 3D model making of real & imagined spaces which act as metaphorical representations of aspects of our lives. I aim to take the perception of model making beyond the propositional or recreational and instead propose it as a potent means of contemporary art practice.

Paper long abstract:

The model…

"A representation, generally in miniature, to show the construction of something."

"To simulate..(a process, concept or system)".

"The manifestation of a conceptual representation of a phenomenon".

"Something that represents another thing".

My current studio practice centres on the construction of highly crafted, composite models derived from the form, function & condition of vernacular European 'functional' architecture - industrial units, street kiosks and the like. I see these low tech, small scale transient structures as being representative of a broad range of social, economic & political points of tension existent today, their design, detailing and concentrated craft intended to evoke an intensity of atmospheric which resonates with the pulse of contemporary cultural flux.

The intellectual, emotional, tactile and visual factors inherent in the making of these models matches the depth of consideration given to the broader socio/political circumstances which prompt their construction, thus creating a synergy between idea, materiality & process, and a linkage between the 'micro' resonance of the model and 'macro' aspects of the human condition.

To date, work in this ongoing project have been exhibited in Belgrade, Gdansk, London & Edinburgh, and has formed the basis of conference papers delivered at 'Politics & Performance', Green Park, Athens, and 'Reading Architecture', Stirling University.

My interest in the dynamics & potential of model making has also led to my instigation of 'The Model - Making & Meaning' undergraduate B.A. course at Edinburgh College of Art.