Please note this event occurred in 2015

The idea behind the “Peg Project” was to build a single moving structure that could be manipulated into a variety of shapes and forms. The structure itself was intentionally built to be a functioning tool in its simplest form: an industrial piece of working art. The main unit as constructed with two identical 88” square platforms that enabled the pegs to stay parallel to one another. The 1 1/4” oak pegs are raised and lowered between the platforms to create various peg fields; organic, geometric, and architectural. Exploration of the project continues with the open underside of the structure. The mechanics are bare and visible. The process was simple. Start with a blank, clean platform, then spontaneously sketch the form I wanted to create. It was important that the idea for the sketch was fresh and raw, not premeditated. Once the peg composition was completed, the sculpture was lit with a single light source and photographed using an 8×10 large format view camera. Film was always the intended medium to photograph the project. There was never the intention to use a digital camera. Once documented, the pegs were returned back into the platform and the process would start over again. This technique allowed for endless variety of shape and form within a controlled environment.

The “Concrete Sphere” project was created to be a simplistic counterbalance to the complexity of the “Peg Project.” Concrete spheres were grouped and arranged to alter a blank background. The negative space and shadows in these studies is far more important than the actual concrete spheres. Similar to the “Peg Project”, the composition was created in the beginning of each session without any preconceived direction. The concrete spheres were also captured with an 8×10 view camera. The most difficult part of this project was maintaining the conceptual restraint and honoring the simplicity of the compositions. Although two completely different ideas, there’s a visual integrity that unites both projects.

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Craig Cutler is a director who began his career as a commercial print photographer. His commissioned collaborations range from print campaigns for clients such as iShares and Starbucks, to broadcast commercials for clients like Lean Cuisine, MTV, and NASCAR, to editorial assignments for publications including The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Bon Appétit, and National Geographic. A prolific image-maker, Craig is also well known for his ambitious and long term personal projects.

www.craigcutler.com
Blog: studio.craigcutler.com
Instagram: @craigcutlerstudio
Facebook: www.facebook.com/craigcutlerstudio

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