The Foam Diaries

The fact that this foam came to me in irregular pieces suggests to me that a mosaic is the natural method to use here. I could go in many directions though, such as deconstructing the foam further by shaving it or cutting specific shapes and sizes to form more adaptable pieces, i.e. for a jigsaw or to mimic other forms and textures such as brick or rock. The very nature of the foam is restrictive because it can be bent only within a particular gradient and it is not porous so it is hard to accept paint. However, I decided to mix some paint with PVA glue because I found that paint on its own was prone to cracking and I wanted to see if I could change the texture by making it appear smooth and shiny – two properties that are popular in creating allure; and I really want all my objects to have an allure because this is the opposite of disregard and imbues the objects with a sense of value or superficial beauty, which is itself a reflection of aspiration. Aspiration is a funny word; it conjures up thoughts of Hope and Ambition, which are interesting words too – one means to have faith in positive outcomes and the other relates to personal achievement or desire.