Points of Departure – Jane Claire Wilson
Points of Departure is a textile-based sculpture that explores the transformations that happen during significant life changes. It visualises how physical, emotional and relational changes occur when crossing a threshold from the familiar to the unfamiliar.
The sculpture is made with materials found in transitional spaces such as piers and jetties. These harbours evoke a sense of leaving the known safety of home and entering the unchartered waters of an unknown future.
By recycling and repurposing found objects, the artwork creates a visual language that engages the viewer in a narrative of change. The fishing ropes, netting and mooring post are given a new form and purpose. Additionally, the seemingly unstable structure creates a sense of imminent movement, with the potential to create further changes.
There are two distinct sections of the sculpture. The woven arc is precariously resting on top of a wrapped tower. This delicate balancing act reflects the uncertainty and tensions that occur between the past and future, whilst standing on the cusp of change.
The tower of tightly wrapped fabrics keep memories metaphorically safe whilst the multitude of threads provide tangible attachments to past lives. This solid and closed form is juxtaposed with a more open, woven structure. This form suggests an openness to future possibilities. The weaving of the rope to fit within a new space reflects a willingness to adapt to unfamiliar ways of being.
The artwork is inspired to my own experiences of living on the threshold of significant life changes.