Judith Hoffman
My work is about representing the circumstances of decay by constructing ephemeral analogs of durable man-made structures (such as a levee, schoolhouse or bridge). These sculptural bodies are enacted upon, depending on the site location, by both natural elements and the viewing audience. Through this process, one sees a recapitulation of the natural life of an object, but in a very accelerated form, in a time frame that is actually observable given the nature of the materials that I use, such as paper or fabric. The sculptures often employ skewed perspectives and disproportionate relationships to challenge the body's perception of the objects/idea: visually and conceptually positioned to elicit multiple readings. Watching a thing fall apart brings closer to mind the construction of an object, disclosing the normally concealed conditions of its production and works against the alienation that its commodification brings with it. This transformation from hard to soft, sanctuary to decay, allows us to not only reconceive and look fresh at existing structures; it also permits us to participate in processes that would normally go unnoticed, to observe how objects evolve, settle and wither over time.