Soldered brass, 10 x 12 x 11, 2010.
Chinese Whispers (2010) is an intimate, highly intricate tabletop assemblage in soldered brass that explores how form, meaning, and utilitarian function degrade and transform through physical transmission. Constructed from an array of repurposed brass artifacts, the sculpture creates a dense acoustic and visual chamber. Borrowing its title from the classic game of cumulative verbal distortion, the work operates as a material metaphor for miscommunication, memory decay, and linguistic drift.
A gear-rimmed cylindrical cup and concave, dish-like plates form hollow acoustic receivers, drawing the viewer’s eye inward like small megaphones or listening devices. A cast duck’s head emerges near the base, while ornate brass handles, a spoon bowl, and floral casting fragments extend outwards, balancing literal representation against abstract construction. Zig-zagging folded metal planes and looping script-like wirework arch out from the rear, providing dynamic movement that suggests sound waves radiating outward.
