Teeth

The theme of my collection is teeth. I wanted to expand on the idea beyond biology and began to think about what else might have teeth. As I explored this idea, I noticed that many everyday objects contain tooth-like structures, we just don’t make the connection. This realization became the foundation for this piece. The work features a mouth, with lips acting as the frame, while the “teeth” inside are made up of objects that contain different tooth-like structures. The frame is made of insulation foam and is painted with acrylic paint to look realistic. Inside of the mouth are zip ties, zippers, gears, combs, staples, keys, saws, rakes, and hair clips. These objects are either found or cut out of poster board and colored. My curatorial approach in this project helps communicate the concept by transforming the idea of teeth from something biological into a visual language appearing throughout everyday objects. Instead of presenting literal teeth, I curated objects that resemble or function like them. This pushes viewers to reconsider how the concept exists beyond our bodies. Tooth-like structures appear in many tools and mechanisms, suggesting how man made mechanical forms reflect the evolved wisdom found in natural living systems. The lips are crucial in the curation of this piece, it guides interpretation. Through placing these objects inside of a mouth, a strong contrast is created between organic and mechanical forms. The viewer immediately recognizes the mouth, but upon closer look they notice individual objects. My goal is for the viewer to experience a shift in perception. Moving from recognizing a familiar form to discovering how that form exists throughout the systems we create. The realistic lips contrast with the mechanical objects inside, highlighting both the relationship and discomfort between humans and the mechanical forms that surround us.