WOOD

Here's my box, in my room! Fully functional!

I was really happy with the outcome of this last project. Even though I had some trouble dealing with basic math, I enjoyed working with wood and putting this thing together. I think this was one of my most direct and clear (idea-wise) projects that I've ever done. I set out to build something that I wanted to use in my room immediately after putting it together. I didn't want to make something that would require a lot of conceptual or stylistic considerations, so I just went for something that would be functional for me. In other words, I let the design be something simple. What I was happiest about is how the diagonal piece contributes to the whole of the piece. It serves no proper structural purpose, but I think it adds a little bit of character or style to the piece (but takes nothing away from the functionality of it). If it were all straight and square lines, I think it would read differently - more bare-bones functional considerations and less stylistic ones.

Of course, this raises the question of why or how is there any difference between function and style, utility and aesthetic, work and art? Personally, I don't think this debate is one that bears many fruit. The two ideological camps are so closely intertwined that it doesn't make much sense to pull them apart. So, when I say that my piece is very functional, this is precisely what I mean - that it has a function beyond (or before) being a 'sculptural piece of art.' When I say it has a certain style or aesthetic quality, this is precisely what I mean - that it is also aesthetically pleasing. Nowhere does there need to be a line drawn between these two qualities of the piece - they can exist together without one infringing on the other.