Jesse Thompson Art Dress-Up Series of Sculptures

In the case of the Dress-Up series of sculptures, there are two distinct processes involved in creating each piece – one that is of control and order and the other is of the opposite, of losing control and inviting chaos. The figurative element is created by modeling the children in clay. This is a process of imposing or “willing” form from clay. By contrast, the appendages the children “dress-up” in are life-cast which is a process of capturing the form directly from the subject through molding and casting. This relies less on artistic interpretation and skill than traditional sculpting.

In any of the pieces I produce, I work hard to make it difficult for the viewer to glean a single feeling or interpretation from the work. I sculpt the facial expressions between a smile and a frown, confusion and elation, it is hard to tell whether the characters are struggling to escape from or joyfully playing with the out-sized appendages. In the case of The Philistines, it is hard to determine whether the character is woefully tangled or delightedly conducting with the string that wraps around them.

Big foot dress-up sculpture by Jesse Thompson