Description:
Webb works from single blocks of wood and carves them into shapes of his choosing. He typically uses reference materials to achieve a lifelike look for his art works. This particular piece is of a balloon that says "I love you" in script. It is hung from the wall with a string attached to it to make it look like it is floating on its own. Once Webb has made his initial carving/final shapes, he sands the wood with multiple grades of sandpaper until he achieves the right grain consistency. For this particular piece I don't believe he used a lacquer/sealer.
Interpretation:
This wooden balloon seems to beg the question of what is real. The realness of it is astounding and really makes you question whether it really is as light as it seems. The main purpose, from when I viewed it, was to create an allusion of it being a real balloon. To deceive the senses into thinking it was as light as helium and not a heavy block of wood. It is greatly successful in this endeavor. It also offers a sense of nostalgia. With it being made out of wood it seems to immortalize something that is normally very temporal to us.
Judgement:
This work by Webb is incredible. The realness of the carving is out of this world. If I were not aware of it being made out of wood I could easily imagine it being just a balloon with a very well made wood grain skin. The balloon seems so light and airy to the eye. Every part of the surface is incredibly smooth. Even the edges were the balloon would be "sharper" are exactly so. The slight shine, due to the mass amounts of careful sanding, make it very lustrous and somewhat shiny (just like this kind of balloon would be).
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