98-107
Construction
This piece consists of ninety-eight paper mache pulp figures representing the members of the US senate who voted for the USA Patriot Act. It premiered at the March 2003 Howard House show The End of Reason.
Making a hundred figures was a huge undertaking, without the help of my friends it would never have happened. Much appreciation to Angela, Kathleen, Roxanne, Gregory, Ethel, Mary Therese, Joel and especially Seteara.
Photos of the finished pieces are here.
Basic skeleton - plywood base, wooden dowel legs, PVC "T" joint for neck and shoulders.
Heads made from paper mache pulp. I packed the molds with pulp, froze it solid, then peeled away the mold and put the head in the oven.
Silicon caulk (mixed with acrylic paint as an activator), with a plaster mother mold.
Cast arms as well. Heads took 5 to 6 hours to dry (at 200 degrees), arms less than half that time.
Super glued head and arms to the frame.
Pressed on pulp to form basic bodies.
Kind of scary at this point.
Distinguishing features and clothing were added. White pulp is made from toilet paper, grey from newspaper.
Palette knife used to -160ooth pulp.
with the suits and shirts painted on.
First 25 finished.
Ready for spray top coat.
Packed for shipping.
Wrapped in plastic.