‘Sculptoy’ February 1997 Mixed Media 275 x 70 x 100cm

This piece was first shown in a ‘solo show’ at Wimbledon and later became part of my final exhibition. It was based upon the board game ‘Escalado’ where players bet on horses which race on a canvas track. At one end is a handle which, when turned, makes the horses move by way of some simple mechanics. Following the same principle during the show, viewers could bet on their boat and whom ever got to the island first took the money. The playing surface was drawn on and the obstacles were extensions of these drawings. The following text accompanied the sculpture and tried to provoke the question; object or game?: The King and Queen of Toothbrushdom had to leave their country because of civil unrest. They took to the mystic waters with their gold barges and friends. The journey was long and they encountered many strange objects before settling upon their new home. This could all be true if you open your mind to it. If you can’t - relax, have fun, play the game. Choose your boat, place a stake, turn the handle, winner takes all.