Concepts: what to make public.
The entire concept behind body casting was to create a ‘container’ for my Hextantz performance. Initially, I envisioned a fabric mannequin with a void within the abdomen. I had hoped, in the style of Ess Devlin, to project the performance film into the void. However, during the critique, I remarked that it was the witch within that I aimed to reveal. The group felt that the proposed treatment was a crude interpretation of my idea, and the subsequent brainstorming evolved into a full-body cast.
Since I had only created face masks up to that point, I felt this would be a significant challenge. Discussions began with the idea of making an impression in clay and taking a cast from it, but this was quickly rejected. The force required to create such an impression in a slab of clay was too great.
The next idea involved scrim and papier-mâché clay to mould the scrim around the body. I began with a few tests of my arm and hand, which showed promising results. However, scaling this up to a whole cast required careful consideration. I would need a lot of scrims, several batches of the ‘clay,’ and someone willing to collaborate in wrapping the cast.
Jackie Smith agreed to help me. We had studied together since the beginning of the course, and I felt comfortable asking her. This did involve allowing myself to be vulnerable with someone relatively unknown, but I trusted Jackie completely. We discussed and agreed on a safe word in case the wrapping became too intrusive. It sounds heavy! However, I was aware that covering one's face with wet fabric can evoke strong reactions. Waterboarding uses a very similar technique, and the response to having that cover your face is instinctive survival.
The first body cast involved creating a tinfoil form to serve as a ‘frame’ on which to place the cast. The wet wrapping of my body was quite uncomfortable. It was cold and damp, and I had to remain in position for nearly two hours.
As the preliminary test involved using scrim in one layer, impregnated with my papier-mâché mix, and this time we were using two layers of scrim, I had miscalculated the required drying time. As a result, the college closed before I had thoroughly dried out. The cast deflated when we peeled it off my body.
I began another set of tests to determine the exact fabric, mixture, and drying time. This second test involved using a single layer of muslin. The muslin is lighter but has a finer weave, so the amount of mixture required to impregnate the fabric was much less. The drying time was also significantly faster. I cast my leg successfully.
The full body cast involved a wireframe mesh to create the form. We were not sure we would need it, but somehow felt it was better to err on the side of caution. I’m pleased we did. The wrapping of my body started much earlier in the day and, with only one layer of fabric, dried much faster. I was in the cast for just over an hour and a half—still long enough. Once dry, we laid the cast gently over the frame. The wire legs were the wrong length, so we simply detached them, using only the torso, arms, and head for support.
The result is fantastic. A lightweight cast that holds its shape well. The actual figure is haunting in that it is both present and absent. The sense of the body emerging from the fabric is a positive addition to what I expected. I also prefer the white colour of the muslin to the scrim. There is some minor repair work to be done on the mouth, but overall, I think it’s a success.
Next steps: I will project the film onto the cast to see what emerges. Additionally, the sculpture by the Icelandic artist Steinunn Thorarinsdottir will be projected onto the cast. I will return to testing and exploring what the cast can provide. Its lightweight fabric is responsive to backlighting, so this may evolve. Until I can experiment with the form, all ideas are possible.
Photograph of Lochloy taken during a field trip to Auldearn. (2024).