Laura Plant

Description

My Dad is a butcher and my friend Sarah is afraid of being stabbed. I am interested in the contradictions in how knives are viewed. An everyday tool with the potential to become a dangerous weapon. I hope to use the drama and tension this paradox causes to stimulate thought.

This work began as an interest in old surgical tools and has grown into an obsession with the knife form. I am fascinated by the many issues associated with knives from inner city knife crime to a butchers skill. I want to draw attention to an everyday object as a means of raising questions about right and wrong. It is not the knife but the person holding it who is dangerous.

I work with clay, hand building large sculptural knife forms and new handles for knife blades. I would define my work as craft; skill and making are important to me and how I work. The handmade nature of my work is an important part of the narrative.