Cyber Studio: Wall Sculpture

Create a Wall Sculpture inspired by Chakaia Booker’s External Constraints with Museum Art Educator & Artist, Agnieszka Wszolkowska!

Artist Chakaia Booker was born in Newark and raised in East Orange, New Jersey. She has gained acclaim for her sculptures made primarily from recycled rubber tires that address aspects of her African American heritage.  She has said:

"Tires are versatile and flexible and symbolically are important to the expression of my ideas. The designs and patterns of tires are similar to African motifs used in fabrics and other African artwork. These patterns also symbolize the scarring which results from the life that Black people are forced to live. People begin life like newly treaded tires but as life continues experiences wear down their vitality much as the tread on tires wears smooth. In the form of wheels tires suggest mobility; yet the circular form implies how we keep going around in circles. "

 

Materials:

  • Bicycle Inner Tubes
  • Old Wood Picture Frame 
  • Scissors
  • Small Nails
  • Hammer 
  • Hot Glue Sticks
  • Hot Glue Gun

 

Steps:

  1. Ask your local bicycle shop for used bicycle inner tubes - they will be happy to donate them to you.
  2. Wash and dry inner tubes.
  3. Cut inner tubes into various lengths.
  4. Begin attaching inner tubes to wood frame using small nails.
  5. Continue process until wood frame is covered.
  6. Bend and twist pieces of inner tubes to create visually interesting designs.
  7. Cut smaller pieces of inner tubes, loops and stripes to add details. Use hot glue gun to attach.
  8. Hang your piece on your wall. 

 

THANK YOU to Grove Street Bicycles for donating inner tubes!