Artist statement

Sport Serenades investigates the mystical relationship between music and feelings. People can connect and communicate with one another through music in a way that transcends words or language. People and music have a strong and profound bond, and this work explores the connection between music and human emotions. Inspired by Willie Cole who uses discarded objects to create assemblages and the work of Diego Stocco who makes unorthodox instruments, I created a series of pseudo, ready-made guitars. My instruments are constructed from objects that come from sport which already resemble the form of a guitar. It echoes those times when people cannot help themselves but pick up a tennis racquet and pretend to be the guitarist of a rock band.

Process

The selection of materials used for this artwork was inspired by my previous experiences with hands-on assemblage work. The direction I took was heavily influenced by my passion for music and instruments, especially guitars. Drawing mainly from the work of artist Diego Stocco, the idea of creating pseudo-instruments out of unusual items was integrated into the planning process. I wanted to be able to create guitar-like figures out of various objects with a similar appearance and found myself drawn towards old wooden sports gear. It became evident after conducting a few experiments that wooden materials achieved the best results. Rather than creating playable instruments, I decided to create a series of pseudo-instruments that prioritised visual appeal over functionality.