Andrew Mason

One is confronted by a triple root molar, sculpted on a grand scale. At such a scale the image of the tooth begins to suggest other natural forms such as a stalagmite. The tooth becomes rock like in it’s size and perceived mass. The images of tooth and stalagmite form a kinship, not only in their formal similarities, but in their calcium rich makeup and their ability to infer specific lengths of time. The tooth represents a mortal life span and as human remains, relates back to a specific biography. The stalagmite however, physically presents a slow, millennia-spanning growth over time. The simultaneous existence of both of these images in one sculpture creates a reading that shifts between timeframes, both small and epic.
The mass of such a rock like object is understood to be great, however through the play of light on the delicately sculpted surface, the sculpture is perceived to weigh less than expected. The sculpture then shifts between the pearl like delicacy and lightness of a tooth and the considerable weight and rigour of a stalagmite.