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www.asa-inc.org.au12connectionsNovember13JamieNorthaSydneybasedartisttalksabouthisuseofslagasamediuminsculptureandrepresentationsofthebuiltenvironmentinhisInnerrouterandSlagBowlsexhibitionsattheSarahCottierGallery.WhatkindofworkdoyoudoIdosculptureandphotographythattodatehaveinvolvedindigenousplantsinstatesoftransformation.HowdidyougetinvolvedinsculptureIstartedtogetinvolvedinsculptureasawaytoworkthroughsomeideasthatIwashaving.IusedtomakesculptureswhenIwasinschoolthoughleftitbehindandhavecomebacktoitinthepast6years.WhatkindsofmaterialshaveyouusedbeforeIhaveusedmostlyconcreteasamediumwithvariousmixesandaggregates.TheconcretesculpturebecomesahousingforthenativeplantsthatIuseinmyworks.Whatledyoutohaveaninterestinindustrialby-productsco-productsspecicallytheuseofyashandslagasmaterialsIguessmanyroadsledtothis.FlyashandslaghavetraditionallybeenusedinconcretemanufacturesoIwaseagertotrybothoftheseinblendstoachievedesiredoutcomesintermsofnalconcretecompositionthoughalsoenvironmentaloutcomes.WhataspectsofslagdoyoundfavourabletoworkwithIhaveneverbeenabletogetenoughslagtouseastheprimaryaggregateinmyworkthoughfromwhatIhaveexperienceditseemstoperformwell.Myprimaryattractiontoslagisbothaestheticandconceptual.IuseslagasanexposedaggregateasInditattractiveandintriguing.ConceptuallyIaminterestedintheideaofslagbeingamanmadepyroclasticsubstanceandaby-productofhumanactivity.DifferenttypesofslagwillhaveavariationincolourandconsistencydidthiseffectyourselectionofthematerialAbsolutely.IhaveprimarilyworkedwithslagsourcedfromASMSinWollongongandIalwaysfavourslagwithlotsofgasbubbles.ThisisforvisualinterestthoughIalsobelievethatthereisachancethatplantlifewilltaketothisporousslag.Iamalsoveryinterestedinslagwithahighsilicacontentforitsglassyappearancethoughdonotcurrentlyhaveasourceforthis.IfanyonecanhelpoutintermsofsupplyingthisorothertypesofinterestingslagorcoarseashIwouldbeverygrateful.DidyouhaveanydifcultieswhenworkingwithslagNorealdiculty.WhatkindofinspirationormessageareyouportrayinginyourworkIsthereasustainabilityelementIthinkartisbestwhendirectmessagesareavoidedasitallowstheviewerroomtohavetheirownthoughtsaboutthework.Howevermyoriginalmotivationsinmakingthesesculptureswastoemulatethewayinwhichsomespeciesofnativeplantsgrowoutofthemortarofcitybuildingswhichisatestimonytotheirresilience.YourexhibitionInnerouterusedcastconcreteandnativeplantswhatkindsofmanipulationtechniquesdidyouuseTheplantsusedarethosethatwouldnaturallyoccurgrowingonrockthoughtheymustbeestablishedonsomeothergrowingmediumincludedinthesculpturebeforetheycanspreadtoconcrete.Thisistheprimarymanipulationtechnique.WhatwereyourreasonsforincorporatingvariousnativeplantspeciesintoyourworkImpersonallyveryinterestedinnativeplantsandthepossibilitiesaroundthem.Idothinktheyaregreatlyunder-appreciatedandtheyhavealottotellusabouttheplaceinwhichwelive.Iwantedtocelebratethemandgrowtheminawaythatwasunconventionalandchallenging.WasthereanyparticularreasonforshowingboththeexternalandinternalsurfacesofthecastconcreteYes.Ilikethecontrastbetweenthesmoothlifelessouterandthecoarsemoreorganicinnerconcrete.Alsoastheplantsgrowinsidetheworktheyaremorelikelytoadheretothecoarselynishedconcreteratherthanthesmooth.Yourworkwasdescribedasaseriesofidiosyncraticconcretejunglespulledfromthefabricofthelocalurbanenvironmentremindingtheviewerofthosemomentswhenyoucomeacrosssomeplantlifepushingthroughabrokenbitoffootpath.WhatisyourresponsetothiscritiqueIthinkthisisagoodintroductiontothework.FormoreinformationonJamieNorthandhisuseofslagmaterialsvisithttpwww.jamienorth.comSincethisarticlewenttopublicationNorthhasbeenawardedtheNSWVisualArtsFellowshipforEmergingArtistsExhibitionandintendstostudyslagintheUSnextyear.CongratulationsJamieACHATWITHJAMIENORTH