Jordan Briceland and Matthew Dominic Farley with Erok Johanssen
Fish Out of Water, 2010, 2012
fiberglass canoe, discarded water bottles, steel, wood,
and paint; 53" x 174" x 75"
2010 Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibit, Lawrence, KS
2012 Eau Claire Sculpture Walk, Eau Claire, WI
Fish Out of Water, the first collaboration between the two artists, began with exploring the potential of transforming an old fiberglass canoe. The beat up canoe, no longer safe for water travel, is rich in surface texture from years of use. From this initial launching point, Jordan and Matthew melded ideas concerning humanity’s connection with river systems as well as our everyday experience with water in general. Sections of plastic water bottles alternate with sections of canoe, providing a graceful bend as well as representing our interdependence with rivers and its inhabitants.
Paddles and similar forms are used to create fins and a tail, while the forms of a canoe’s yoke are transformed into barbels. The gestural paint application, a collaboration with local artist Erok Johanssen, is inspired both by train graffiti (playing off the theme of transportation) as well as Claude Monet’s lily pond paintings.
