"The 'Transparent' Homeless Man"

Grade 12 RAP Visual Art

Life Sized (5 foot 4 inch), Tape Sculpture

The reason why I created a transparent tape sculpture rather than using a different material (cardboard, clay, wire, etc.) is because I wanted to represent the "transparency" of a homeless person. However, I decided to make the sign the sculpture is holding out of cardboard so that it creates a "human connection" with the world. The cardboard sign creates the appearance that its the only thing that civilians are able to see, as the homeless individual is invisible and disregarded. I wanted to create it life-sized so that it creates an accurate representation of an actual homeless person on the street, rather than a miniature sculpture. I believe that through sculptures, individuals can better comprehend the intended message when it's designed and placed in a purposeful location. This allows the sculptor's intended message to get across. This was important to me because I wanted to create an artwork that would shine light upon the reality of homelessness in an effective way, while also creating its own unique aesthetic as it is placed in certain environments.