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Christian Burchard | Another Lecture

Currency:USD Category:Art / Medium - Wood Start Price:NA
Christian Burchard | Another Lecture
Christian Burchard, Ashland, Oregon

Another Lecture, 2016
Bleached madrone root
14 x 45 x 3 inches | 35.56 x 114.3 x 7.62 cm

After 40 plus years of working with wood, as a furniture maker, a housebuilder, a wood turner and as a sculptor I am skilled at what I do. As times passed, the exterior beauty of the wood and the complete control over the process are no longer as important to me. The exploration of wood's structure, the beauty of its strength, it's history, its soul, has now become the center of my work. I exclusively use the roots of Pacific madrone for its unique characteristics. These roots are green when worked and under tremendous stresses, that come from the climate and terrain that I live with as well.
I take these roots apart with different saws, with only a general idea in mind of the results might be. I shape them into simple hollow forms, or cut them into sculptural objects.
I turn or cut them thinly and the inner structure of the medium determines the final shape. I cut them thicker and distortion and cracking appears. Both result in an expression from the release of tension.
I interfere with wedges and clamps, water, heat and fire, with the effects of weathering, as what is inherent in the material reveals itself. This dance between control and letting go that is at the heart of my work. Harnessing and manipulating this tension, it's "predictable unpredictability", allows me to create objects and tell stories not possible otherwise.

burchardstudio.com
@chburchard