Katie Lederer, Student Work

Tinderbox

Air dry clay, wood, matches, pastel. 

8" x 2.5" x 7"

Anyone is capable of becoming an addict. While we often treat addiction as a moral failure, addiction is both a physical and psychological illness. I hoped to capture the emotions of addiction in this sculpture. The sculpture portrays pain, fragility, and helplessness. The matches, which pierce the man's back, are metaphorical for the physical pain and mental burden of substance abuse. Matches are also sensitive to one another. If one is lit, the whole piece will burn. As with addiction, one mistake can destroy the entire individual.