Palmer Conlon
Genetics, Food, Humans, and Speculative Thinking
The basis of this project revolves around the reuse of plastic waste. Wearable hats were constructed out of plastic bags fitted as a sustainable alternative.
Research: Leaves, Life, Structure, and Form
This project will be a continuation of my previous project; I will create a much more polished version of the “plastic bag hat” by formulating a rigid material with plastic bags that does not require a stand alone skeleton. Leaves will be incorporated through a process of fossilization which will bring in the decoration and “branding” of the hat.
Assignment 4: Final Proposal
For the final project of this quarter, I will finish the series of plastic bag hats with an actual hat designed by myself to be cut by laser. As the description of this class is bio art and design, hence the sustainable nature of the previous two hat projects, I think that a handmade version of a massed produced product will not only bring my goals of this quarter full circle, but also represent a more environmentally and socially conscious way of producing a popular clothing item. The piece I will be creating is a simple five panel trucker hat (see picture below) made from a fabric if possible, but if not, it will simply be a chipboard model. Not only will the project take on physical design sculpture, the lessons I have learned in my printmaking class will also be incorporated to create a branding for the hat. The hat will be constructed using the five panel schematic, which can be easily transferred to an illustrator file, suitable for laser cutting. This is my favorite style of hat, and I own a large collection already; however, these have all been purchased from big box retailers, and while I do enjoy them, they don't have a personal connection to my craftsmanship, so this is what I will achieve with this project.
