Authority is some kind of power, which sets some rules, watches and follows the members of certain group to keep that group working without any problem. That is why I am going to visualize authority and society members’ being kept under control, with a huge robot-like eye-shaped sculpture. This sculpture’s first aim is to make people uncomfortable.
This sculpture is eye of the power, authority. It watches us and it follows us everywhere we walk. All the people who are part of a society have to obey the rules that they cannot judge, or directly set/change. Because they make contract with the state. The state promise its members safe and stable life, so the members have to do something in return, they have to obey the rules, go to work and make some contribution to the society. So they give the state some power which makes the state watch the society to work. So the sculpture is the state and we are the society members. We are being watched and that has to make us uncomfortable, which is not really happening in real life. This sculpture has to irritate people, it cannot be seen like a funny game. It is there to judge us, watch us and make sure that we obey its rules. That is why I had to think and decide very carefully about the looks of it. It has to give the feeling of power. And since it symbolizes the authority, it has to be something like a machine. It works like a machine and make people work like a machine, too. Because if it does not happen the system will collapse. That is why I wanted it to be look like a machine. After I decided my main concept, I had to think about the looks, the materials that I should use, color, shape, interactive behavior, size, etc.
The sculpture has to look like a machine. So its materials are important. It will look like it is made out of metal and it will look rusty and old. The sculpture will look like a robot It will be some kind of machine, which looks like it has been working a very long time but still has some organic features. It will just look like a working watch, with all the chains, machines, motor and gears in it. For achieving these effects, I want to use metal or metal-like materials, some parts will be rusty or over used. I researched for the materials that I could use. Firstly my idea was to use iron sticks, but they were too heavy to make a moving sculpture. Then I looked for some props (http://volpinprops.blogspot.com/2011/02/daft-punk-helmet-thomas-part-1.html) but finally I had to pick the lightest material to use. That is why I decided on plastic tube, which is called “pimaş”. We did some burning and coloring this plastic tubes and it gave a rusty metal affects which I liked. After that I scrubbed that tube with a weird comb which has little metal sticks on it, then the plastic tube was not plastic at all. That is why my final choice for the material is that.
Also, I want to make the mechanical parts be seen, so that the sculpture will be like a machine. The sculpture is composed of two main parts, eyeball and eyelids. Eyeball will be one huge ball. And the eyelids construction will be like a skeleton. So that it will be a combination of organic and mechanic. Skeleton like sticks covering the eyeball will let the viewers see the inside of the machine but it will also look like a hand covering the eye. Eyelids of the sculpture will be able to move. They will do blinking motion. For this behavior, we decided to move connect the upper eyelid to the lower eyelid and create a system, which works like piston. But it will do this motion very slowly. I want this because this way it will look scarier and it will give the machine feeling more properly. This system will not be inside the wall so that it can be seen and its sound can be heard. That is the affect that I would like to achieve. Also, my sculpture’s design makes the inside part be able to seen from the outside. With this people will be able to see all the parts and mechanical thing going on in the sculpture. I want to do this because it will look scarier and powerful. Maybe it will look like a monster machine. Also, I want to add some gears and chains, which are working but are not necessary for the movement of the sculpture, since it will be more affective.
I have not decided about the size of the sculpture. But one thing I am sure is its being huge. I want to see some things developing while I am working on it. But approximately it will be 1 meter. I want it to be huge. All the parts will be huge and it will make a louder sound, it will be more irritating when it is huge. Huge will be more affective and it will give the feeling of power more.
I have some basic features for the sculpture in my mind, like its construction, its materials and behavior. I cannot say its final looks but I have decided some properties. I am sure of this sculpture being combination of mechanic and organic and it’s being look like an old but still working machine. As soon as I order the plastic tubes, and get the final feedback about the material and the machine system I will start constructing the machine.