Archbuilder. Mixed media installation. Whitefriars Monastery. Coventry. ©1986 Ian Upton.
Archbuilder
Archbuilder developed out of playing. I had been experimenting piling sticks to see what would happen. One of my experiments was to see if I create an arch. The resulting experiment evolved into Archbuilder which was exhibited in the Whitefriars Monastery in 1986.
Archbuilder comprised two glass plinths topped with water filled slate troughs. If I stood in a crucifixion pose - arms outstretched level by my sides - I could rest a hand on each plinth. This scaling was deliberate. I wanted the physical form of the piece to relate to me.
The glass plinths were surrounded by a circle of zen garden gravel. This was carefully lit from above. The gravel circle was very precise and matched on to the pool of light. The lighting served to reinforce a stage and functioned to remove the space slightly out of the reality of the gallery.
A low table was positioned to the side. This was presented as an altar. It had a simple linen table cloth on which fourteen bundles of sticks - each tied with catholic Easter ribbon - were carefully laid along its length. Each bunch comprised one hundred sticks. Each stick had a short sentence - relating to a Station of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross is a catholic meditative ritual following Christ’s journey from imprisonment to his death on the cross and his final resting in a tomb.
Each day would begin with the stones being swept back from the centre of the piece. The barrier formed reinforced the performance space and provided somewhere I could stand.
I then repeated the following for each bunch of sticks on the table: A bunch was snipped open. Sticks would spill across the table. I would grab handfuls and proceed to build them into the piece. When I had used up all of the sticks I would take a photograph which was then developed and laid with the ribbon where the bunch of sticks had lain.
As Archbuilder progressed you could see the performed process documented on the table.
The arch was constructed by building up two columns of balanced, interlocked sticks. No glue or nails! As the columns grew I started to skew them towards each other. Slowly but surely the piece leaned and eventually and precariously fell into itself. These were very tense moments and provided some of the best elements of the performance. Twice the arch collapsed - forcing me to rebuild from the sticks scattered on the floor. On the third attempt the arch remained stable enabling me to construct a robust structure.
Archbuilder took five days to complete.
Having integrated all of the sticks the arch was complete. the stones were brushed back forming a circle. At this point the water filled troughs acted as mirrors. From certain angles you could see the arch and its reflection hanging in space. The effect was of an Ian sized circle, or halo, or crown of thorns floating in space. The arch stood firmly for a month and had to be pulled down at the end of the exhibition.