Sam Cranstoun

Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2023 - Finalist

_{[Image courtesy of the artist]}

Sam Cranstoun | Breezeblock Abstract | 2023 | hand cut watercolour paper | 150 x 100cm

Artist Statement

Taking traditional breezeblock design as its starting point, this sculptural work on paper reconfigures a recognizable domestic motif. The breezeblock, a building material known for its ability to offer elegant solutions to a variety of architectural problems – security, airflow, structural integrity – is a ubiquitous form, seen locally in suburban Queensland, throughout Australia, and in all parts of the globe. Interested in breezeblocks a legacy of modernist design, this work is part of a series taking common breezeblock designs and altering them through cutting and folding. These simple acts are designed to elevate the modest architectural device, and honour the modernist traditions it emerged from.