Kidderminster College   2009/2010

Susan Purser Hope

I am fascinated by the facade that people hide their ambitions, secrets and dreams behind and buildings with social and political status hold a particular appeal for me. Buildings have always been used to demonstrate power. The people behind them change but the statement is the same – “Look at the Me that I want to show you”.

I intend representing this contrast between façade and structure by creating a series of sculptural glass headdress forms that represent the essence of specific houses. I want to contrast the order of the exterior with the disorder and hidden life behind it.

Just like people, with my work you can accept it at face value or allow your curiosity to explore the different layers beneath. Consequently, I want to create fantastical, beautiful and eye catching structures that look extraordinary but physically bear down whilst balancing perilously to show the fragility of these short lived yearnings for immortality.

I want to incorporate the fluidity of fabric within my sculptural glass headdress and am experimenting with weaving glass at the moment. Being able to access different University departments will enable me to explore the potential union between textiles and glass and will provide me with facilities, such as the mould making and printmaking, that I do not have in my own studio. This will improve the range and quality of my finished work.

My work is intended to be a living part of the environment in which it is placed. I want people to relate to and interact with it, to see echoes of their past and present experiences within it. Consequently, I intend exhibiting my work within the houses that I base my glass structures upon and then to run related workshops for the public within the houses.