by rust circle
Years ago an artist friend gave me this circular, rusted, thin metal object. She had found it in a farmer’s field in France. I love how this man-made object, probably a part from some farm machinery, had begun to weather, to break down back into elements by the forces of nature.
For some years it moved around the windowsills of my studio, but I now found it tucked and forgotten in a corner shelf along with other saved objects. I feel a strong pull to use it in some work. Now it’s also in the image archives of this machine, hopefully not to be forgotten again.
April 11, 2008 in Found Objects, Photoworks by Marja-Leena
Lovely piece of metal, and I can understand why you’ve kept it for so long. When at university I picked up a sanding disk with black patches and scraps of paint attached, which I found similarly atractive, and it’s been hanging on my studio wall ever since. I know it can be used in an artwork somehow, but have yet to find the right way. Meanwhile, I just enjoy it for its own sake.
This is lovely. There’s something magical about rust. It doesn’t always corrupt.
Joe, glad you agree!
This is gorgeous!
Thanks, Beth!
Marja-Leena: Could you make a “rust” print from this? Wet the metal and some printmaking paper and just let it sit for a while? it’s so delicious….
Hi Pica, can I really do that? I’m not familiar with that technique but you have intrigued me, thanks. How long do you leave it for?
I keep thinking how I might ink it and print it but I don’t think I’d pick up the subtleness of the rusting.