For the past eight years, Shay has created a body of artwork he refers to as Wet Clay Installations. These temporary installations of wooden armatures covered in wet clay have included life-size African elephants, elk, wolves, gray whales, trees and a river left to fallapart in abandoned buildings, parking lots, outdoor spaces and galleries. Audiences and volunteers are invited to apply thousands of pounds of clay to armatures in what becomes a performance lasting anywhere from 3 hours to a full day. Many of these volunteers have never worked in clay before this experience.He has worked with students from Universities, grade school classes, a homeless mission, and members of the general public.
During the exhibition these installations go through a transformation. When the wet clay is applied, the piece has a breath of life. It literally feels alive from the moisture of the clay and the marks left behind from all of the hands touching the piece. Over time the clay dries, begins to crack and has an appearance of a dry-river bed. This drying takes the life out of the piece and viewers are left with the realization that the piece is temporary, beginning its process of returning to the earth.
For PIFA 2016, Church is creating an installation that takes this idea to a new scale and level of collaboration. We will build a stilted or raised “forest floor” which support the large tree sculptures Shay will build with the help of scheduled volunteers as well as the general public. The forest would be wood lath partially covered in thousands of pounds of clay. The forest will occupy about 300 squarefeet.
The public is welcome to help apply clay to the installation. This collective energy will give the audience an experience that goes beyond viewing.
Related Lecture:
Shay will be giving a free public lecture on Wednesday, April 13th, 6pm-7:30pm in the Kimmel lobby in front of the piece. Click here for more information.
- Click here to sign up to participate on Saturday, April 9th from 10am-12.
- Click here to sign up to participate on Sunday, April 10th from 1-3pm.
- Click here for information on PIFA's website.
