Stages of Life
As I researchedthe stages of life, I came upon several different philosophies of what thestages were and represented. Ifound for the most part that they all had similar ideas with slight variationsof the age range of each stage. While most philosophies I researched had seven stages of life, withdeath being the seventh, I decided to leave out the death figure. At first I had planned on including afigure representing death. Iresearched different ideas, trying to find one that would not come across astoo morbid or would simply read as someone sleeping. Unable to find a solution to the issue at this time, I choseto eliminate the stage. In regardsto the other stages, I liked parts of each philosophy and decided to selectideas from each that best fit my theme, allowing me to create a cohesivephilosophy of my own.
Stage 1– The Tree of Life
Stage 2– The Baby
Thisstage represents the beginning of life. At this stage a person is given all the tools and material they will needthrough out their lifetime. Asthey grow the tools or materials develop forming unique layers that will becomemore organized with time. The babyfigure is created with natural fibers, yarn and latex. I used the latex to hold the fibers inplace creating a raw, unfinished look. The chaotic pattern of the yarn is representing the idea that we allstart with the tools and materials we will need to create our own uniqueidentity. As time passes and weexperience life, we will then create organized layers and ideas that will shapeour own identity. The fibers usedwill become woven together as the life progresses.
Thisstage represents the beginning of life. At this stage a person is given all the tools and material they will needthrough out their lifetime. Asthey grow the tools or materials develop forming unique layers that will becomemore organized with time. The babyfigure is created with natural fibers, yarn and latex. I used the latex to hold the fibers inplace creating a raw, unfinished look. The chaotic pattern of the yarn is representing the idea that we allstart with the tools and materials we will need to create our own uniqueidentity. As time passes and weexperience life, we will then create organized layers and ideas that will shapeour own identity. The fibers usedwill become woven together as the life progresses.
Stage 3– Child
In thisstage you see the baby has grown and become a child. The layers of material are becoming more organized, which isrepresented through the pieces of weavings placed in various parts of thebodies. As time goes by andexperiences occur, the fabric slowly begins to become woven. The weavings are placed at the head,spine and heart to symbolize the great importance of the development of theseareas to the individual.
In thisstage you see the baby has grown and become a child. The layers of material are becoming more organized, which isrepresented through the pieces of weavings placed in various parts of thebodies. As time goes by andexperiences occur, the fabric slowly begins to become woven. The weavings are placed at the head,spine and heart to symbolize the great importance of the development of theseareas to the individual.
Stage 4– Teenager
In thisstage more material has developed into the weavings, representing the layers oftime. The figure has more weavings placed throughout his body. This development represents the childgrowing into the adult. Thepalette has become darker, which represents the extreme complexity of thehormonal and emotional changes that occur during this stage. The pose is of a teenage boy running,which is a metaphor of how quickly childhood passes and one enters intoadulthood.
In thisstage more material has developed into the weavings, representing the layers oftime. The figure has more weavings placed throughout his body. This development represents the childgrowing into the adult. Thepalette has become darker, which represents the extreme complexity of thehormonal and emotional changes that occur during this stage. The pose is of a teenage boy running,which is a metaphor of how quickly childhood passes and one enters intoadulthood.
Stage 5– The Couple – Adult
In thisstage the figures are now in the adult phase of life and have gone from thechaotic application of fibers to an organized manner of weavings. The weavings cover the entire body andrepresent the experiences and layers that come with time. In this stage I chose to use twofigures, a man and pregnant woman to show the cycle of life. The couple is representational of boththe ending and beginning stages of life. Theindividual, as a concept, ends and the family begins with the creation ofnew life. Yet the individual remains as a cohesive entity, as represented bythe different palette and strength of the weavings. This is the most insular of the stages as the individualscollide and collapse into the effort of creation, much like the nucleus of anatom or a neutron star.
In thisstage the figures are now in the adult phase of life and have gone from thechaotic application of fibers to an organized manner of weavings. The weavings cover the entire body andrepresent the experiences and layers that come with time. In this stage I chose to use twofigures, a man and pregnant woman to show the cycle of life. The couple is representational of boththe ending and beginning stages of life. Theindividual, as a concept, ends and the family begins with the creation ofnew life. Yet the individual remains as a cohesive entity, as represented bythe different palette and strength of the weavings. This is the most insular of the stages as the individualscollide and collapse into the effort of creation, much like the nucleus of anatom or a neutron star.
Stage 6– Old Man
Thisstage represents the end phase of life. The man is sitting in a slouched position expressing his exhaustion fromall he has experienced. The poseexpresses the ideas of reflection. When one gets to the end of their life, they will look back at all theirexperiences, negative and positive, coming to the realization of how much theyhave achieved and gone through. The figure is created with looser weavings with some having holes andgaps. The looser weaving addressesthe loss one experiences in the aging process. Death of those around us, the decline of ourselves, bothmentally and physically. Wegradually “unweave.”
Thisstage represents the end phase of life. The man is sitting in a slouched position expressing his exhaustion fromall he has experienced. The poseexpresses the ideas of reflection. When one gets to the end of their life, they will look back at all theirexperiences, negative and positive, coming to the realization of how much theyhave achieved and gone through. The figure is created with looser weavings with some having holes andgaps. The looser weaving addressesthe loss one experiences in the aging process. Death of those around us, the decline of ourselves, bothmentally and physically. Wegradually “unweave.”
I plan ontaking this installation and photographing it in more locations. I will include more nature environmentsas well as industrial and modern environments. I am interested in how each environment will alter theemotion of the pieces and bring out new ideas. Once I gather all the images, I will make it into abook.
