E X H I B I T I O N T E X T
This piece was created for cats, with the intention of giving them comfort and joy while still providing a useful functionality. A priority for my piece was to create something that valued sustainability and this was done by using recycled materials. The artist Shigeru Ban specilized in creating sustainable desings that worked for the purpose of helping others, and the planet. All of the objects used in this piece were scrap material that I was able to get from my dad as a result of his own projects. Comparable to Bans methods, I created a base frame out of wood and then surrounded the outside using cardboard. My piece works to combine both sustainability and functionality while still creating a playful experience for cats. At first glance, it appears to be a large cat house, however, upon further investigation it is clear there is much more. Personally, I have a cat that struggles with weight even though her food is monitored and she is kept on a tight diet. Within this piece there is a device designed to help create a slow release diet, doors coated in fur catching materials to help maintain shedding, toys inside to keep up energy, and scratch pads to help keep our curtains safe! In inspiration to Shigeru Ban, I was able to create a model of something housing characteristics of both sustainabilitiy and true function all for the purpose of creating a happier time for our pets!