Resin through the ages
The Untold Story Of Resin Art: Resin as a material is antique. Ancient Civilizations found natural resin from the barks of trees, herbal flowers, and shrub buds. The Neolithic civilizations extracted resin from birch trees. Then, they used it as a fixative to make weapons.
Resin combined as a component with various natural materials to build houses and temples. Later, the Ancient Greeks chewed resin as an antiseptic-for better oral health. Also, the Mayan civilization boiled sap procured from resin. They used it as a binding agent (glue). Then, gave it to their children as a chewing gum called “cha”. Through the years, developments led to modern gum. Lastly, using the resin of the spruce tree, now we call it the chewing gum.
Soon, research and development led to the commercialization of resin. Also, many scientists conducted their thesis on the development of resin as a compound. For instance, during the late 1930s, in the work of N.A de Bruyne and J.E Gordon we can see the development of resin composites for aircraft primary structures. Also, used as an industrial use as a fixative or as a compound to develop other fixatives. Lastly, the gradual developments led to using the synthesized material to develop art supplies.
Evolution of Resin
During the mid-nineteenth century, there was an increase in demand for mass-produced plastic commodities which led to progressive developments in synthesized plastics. Bakelite- phenolic resin had a spectrum of uses in the 1920s for radios, jewelry, bags, etc.
The Art industry began to make a shift from natural paints to using synthetic paints to create paintings and coatings. Franz Kline, William de Kooning, Jackson Pollock made use of these synthetic Industrial paints for their Art. The synthetic paints allowed artists the freedom to explore in ways they had never seen before. By the mid-nineteenth century, there were a plethora of art supplies to choose from for artists.
Rise of epoxy
Practiced widely, resin as an art is the most alluring and visionary fashion. The compound used for various applications. For instance, on coatings, metal bondings in electricals, fiber-reinforced plastic materials, concrete repairs, domestic house repair, and other miscellaneous uses.
Dr. Pierre Castan and Dr Sylvan Greenlee created epoxy resin originally for dental fixtures. In the 1930s liquid epoxy resin art gained its first patent. Epoxy Resin is a liquid organic compound, it comprises resin and hardener.
Resin art is experimental, it is a form of portrayal for an artist. It exhibits his thoughts and emotions into a fluid materialized object of art. Resin offers versatility. It is delicate yet durable, it is visually fragile but tangible. Resin can be glazed and painted, opening up an avenue of varied opportunities.
Some of the articles that can be made using resin are traditional or non-traditional art, sculptures, three-dimensional paintings, coated acrylic paintings, home decor, wooden furniture pieces, jewelry, etc.
An Artist’s Expression
CESAR BALDACCINI: LA POUCE
Cesar Baldaccini was a key figure in the 1960s movement, Nouveau Réalisme. The art movement aimed to engage directly with reality by using everyday artifacts rather than traditional art materials. Cesar worked on a series called “Expansions” for which he used new materials like glass fiber and polyester resin.
He cast an Installation that was a relic of an average-sized thumb. The Thumb, in the year 1965, made for an exhibition for the theme ‘Hand’. Later, an installation developed replicating the exhibited sculpture, at the business center of Paris. It weighs eighteen tons and is twelve feet tall. Cesar made a replica of his thumb using a synthetic mold and made the actual sculpture using metal.
NIKO KORNIS : A FAMILY IN RESIN
Niko Koronis developed a family furniture series called the G collection, which comprises the GBC bench, the GRT coffee table, the GSD console table, and the GST stool that also acts as a side table. Koronis used resin in hues of blue and green, he visually created a glycerin soap-like appearance. Niko made use of chemical processed resin, but he wanted to add an organic touch to it. Hence, he experimented with all possibilities of material exploration to add a natural feel to his collection.
ISNANA YAMADA: 輪廻 Samsara
Isnana Yamada created six whales swimming in an arching circle, as a part of his final creative submission for his graduation project. His concept was based on the circle of existence from Buddhist traditions. Each whale is a symbol of reincarnation. The whales depict the cycle of death and rebirth through the circular theory of the six realms. He made a small-scale visual of the world within reach of the whales. Although the use of resin makes it possible for the viewer to have a glimpse of the artist’s imagination of the world that he creates – a movement of introspection.
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