Asia Nowicki London, United Kingdom
London born artist of Polish descent, with a long standing interest in creating objects which play with stereotypical gender and societal roles. Studied sculpture at Camberwell College of Art and Sir John Cass encouraged the togetherness of sculpture and performance. Combining motherhood with artistry, living room with art studio.
Everyday household wares, including plastic tableware, metal / wooden hooks and other commonly used household materials are put together alongside conventional art and DIY materials to create a rebirth of the quotidian emerging as bestial, insectile or mollusc creatures. These sculptural objects either stand alone or work together as an installation or performative documentation forming a societal narrative.
Works include animal heads which are made through the manipulation, melting and reforming of disposable plastic... wine glasses, spoons, drinking straws... as well as recycling plastic wrapping alongside liquid latex to fleshify. The process of engraving echoes that of tattooing... marking deeply into the skin. The heads are mounted onto intricately engraved base panels, which are not only used as a frame, but act as an extension of the subject, wherein the animal heads merge with their setting, becoming more prominent or hidden depending on the angle of view.
Bottom of the food chain, mini beasts turn maxi beast in the form of ambiguously insectile creatures taking a playful stance on stereotypical gender associations and the blurry lines in between. A caterpillar-esque object stands tall and proud. Its predominantly solid body made from cooking pots, its antennae made from brittle blown glass phalluses. On the lookout and firm, but easily broken. Another, resembles a bed bug presenting itself on a lectern stand, on show and available. Cock-tail picks inserted into its body, covered with rice grains ready to be boiled in the cooking pots of the creature it stands beside. The creatures can either stand alone or unify, adopting dual / multiple / united identities.
Artwork
Buzz, Melted plastic wine glasses, metal hooks, vinyl, acrylic tv stand base., 2020, £350
Irk, Engraved acrylic on chicken wire and modroc frame, rice, latex, cocktail pics, metal hook, mdf, plasticine, lectern stand., 2020, £1100
Pillar, Enamel pots, glass, acrylic, mdf, foam, metal hooks, expanding foam, plasticine, spray paint., 2020, £1200
Snord, Spray painted plastic drinking straws woven onto chicken wire and mesh frame, mounted onto wooden pole with cast iron weight., 2020, £800
Ewe, Spray painted bubble wrap, tissue paper and liquid latex on wire modroc frame mounted on engraved acrylic disc. , 2020, £1100
Pangolin, Spray painted manipulated plastic spoons, melted shot glasses, tissue paper and liquid latex on wire modroc frame mounted on engraved acrylic disc. , 2020, £1010
Pig, Spray painted melted and manipulated plastic wine glasses on wire modroc frame mounted on engraved acrylic disc. , 2020, £1300