Crit show - Testing the piece out in different spaces.

It felt strange to bring something so intimate and natural into an urban space, to drape it across benches, bins and paths. It took on a new form, its context was almost lost. Originally i was going to present it on the floor, as it was made, and see the contrast between the woodland where it was made and the sterile white space of a studio show. It looked interesting on the floor and dominated almost the entire floor space. The tutor suggested i suspend it from the ceiling which worked really well (see pic below)  It dominated the space in a different way, on the floor people were shy of treading on it, of getting the dyes on their clothes but hanging from the ceiling it enabled people to get close to it, face-to-face, literally. The smoky scent was also released by hanging it this way which was wonderful, intimate, woody. The crit went well, it was the first time i had never had any negative feedback of some kind, or some suggestion of how to make it more this or more that, it seemed i had done all that was needed to to this piece which was an odd feeling. Some suggestions were made regarding what other pieces could be made in this style, along this train of thought but the consensus was that piece we were viewing was complete. There were a few moments when we all just sat silently looking up at it, it was in those moments i personally felt the piece was a success, to bring silence to a crit show, without the need to say anything, but just look up, and sniff the air, and smile at its marks and secrets.  My intention when starting these self-initiated project was to explore whether it was possible to capture the elements in art. I started in a little white triangle, trying to imitate the elements through paintings, this process / method was i see now, futile, but ultimately led me to this. It IS possible to capture the elements on canvas, but it is like catching a butterfly, you dont do a painting of a butterfly and frame it proudly, you get a net and run through the forest until you catch a real one. Ultimately, It is at home in the woods, like me, which makes sense...seeing as that's where were were born, it was like for a small moment bringing some wild shy creature into a class room for students to observe its behavior before taking it back and releasing it into the forest, which is where it hangs now. x