Nail Biter (based in Aztec Mythology)
The Sigabrim is an otter-like creature that at first glance seems sweet and almost kind, though after taking more than a moment's glance one can see the nails protruding from its back and chest, the stream of eyes gocking at you and the forever forming rows of teeth ready to nibble at the eyes, nails and teeth of its victims.
My body of work is made of beasts, monsters, and folklore inspired nightmares that reflect narrative through visual and tactile sculptural forms. Photo etchings are displayed around the sculpture as stained glass windows surround a church. Crawling, licking and biting, this beast is meant to make the viewer uncomfortable and in awe. These feral forms create an obscure cavort of this malefic creature one can only find in ancient legends. The creature brings forth a new sometimes corrupted nostalgic, discomfort. The detestation of being touched unwantedly, fear of dark or dangerous places, and fear of being hoaxed by something seemingly harmless. All are themes in folklore, and in life. This is a part of the series of three creatures that I have created, rooted in lore meant to bring discomfort and an unsettled feeling.
To conjure these beasts, I first built the body structure out of insulation foam for a more structured base, then bulked up different areas of the figures with expanding foam. I used wire, tin foil and masking tape to sculpt the muscle structure and refine shape. In folk art, people used the materials around them, normally inexpensive and semi-readily available, ranging from mud to straw, to wood, to stone. My choice in materials came from the modern day accessibility to them, the inexpensive nature of which I got them and the amount of knowledge I had to work within a designated time frame.
The nail-biter is fabricated with glossy dark colored faux fur that has been applied to the armature.
