The Story of "A Moment of Silence"
|
This automata is inspired by numerous visitors to shows that I have displayed at who say that they love the little pecking chickens on the "Horse of a Different Colour" piece. So I set out to come up with some scenario that could employ a group of pecking chickens. While pecking chickens themselves may be cute enough, I felt I needed more of a story to tell. I thought about a collector I know who enjoys the macabre and decided maybe beheading a chicken might be challenging project. But the story needed to be more, so I tried to put myself in the place of the other chickens and how they must view such an event. It struck me that chickens may have short term memory loss and do not remember these executions. That's the irony here; while we may see the the moment of silence as reverence it may be only as long asa chickens' memory of the event.
|
|
In the automata Carrie has decided that fresh chicken is on the menu for dinner tonight. When she beheads a chicken the others seem oblivious to the horror. They pause only momentarily before returning to their pecking routine. The noise of the cleaver makes the rooster suddenly aware that his harem has shrunk by one! Interestingly the chicken in the right foreground seems to be part woodpecker as she has chosen to attack a piece of firewood!
This piece is 17-1/2" (44.5 cm) long, 7-1/4" (18.4 cm) deep, and 12-1/2" (31.8 cm) tall. It is made up of 268 individual pieces.
This piece is 17-1/2" (44.5 cm) long, 7-1/4" (18.4 cm) deep, and 12-1/2" (31.8 cm) tall. It is made up of 268 individual pieces.
The "A Moment of Silence" Video
"A Moment of Silence" Photo Gallery
A collection a few photos of Carrie, the chickens, and the inner workings from the construction and completion of "A Moment of Silence".