Alex Copenhaver
Forms
Digital and 3D
A Childs Defense
Using thrifted stuffed animals and other thrifted materials “A Child’s Defense” talks about protecting your childhood imagination, memories, and play. Using thrifted stuffed animals represents all the memories they hold from children's past and present and how they would use these in their fantasies. Starting out the shield is based off of a medieval kite shield with a wooden backing and stuffed animals on the front. The shield is crafted with visual appeal and practicality in mind so it is strong and sturdy on the back and soft and fluffy on the front.
To compliment the shield and add the aggressive nature that comes with protection, the shield is accompanied by a flail. The wooden flail is wrapped in brown leather with a deep brown stain on the wood. The rusted chain attached to the wooden flail has two stuffed animal heads at the end with one having a toy rattle on the inside. The flail is used to represent the wild nature of child's play and while the flail itself is similar to a kids toy you swing around. A flail is a very difficult weapon to control and at times uncontrollable and it was selected for that very reason. Sometimes a child's play, imagination, or words can hurt someone or themselves accidentally just like a flail would. Bringing my memories together with the memories from children I will never know in one unified front against the “monsters” of this world trying to take our spark away is what “A Child's Defense” is about.
Bound to Play
Bound to Play symbolizes how my whole life was guided through soccer. Art and soccer were the two consents in my life that were my only outlets. Throughout my time playing soccer I was known to have the “injury bug” where I was so devoted to protecting the goal, I would more often than not tear muscles, break bones, get concussions, or even have to have surgery. Soccer is the whole reason I decided to go to college right out of high school and why I chose UC. I was selected to play defense at UC Clermont where before my season started, I had to get knee surgery which ended my collegiate career. Due to that injury I was then put on the path I am on today.
Being the start of my body sculpture studies I wanted to start with the leg as a symbol of “right foot forward” and moving on. Created from expandable foam, I formed the basic shape of the leg, calve, and stopping right after the knee. After the foam settled, it was then carved and sanded away to get the shape of a leg. I then wrapped the leg with the pre-wrap then sports wrap exactly how my leg, ankle, and knee used to be wrapped when I was injured. The colors I selected were the same colors of wrap my high school used as well as being the same colors as my high school team. The medical fishers net was woven the traditional way a fisherman's net would be woven. The net symbolizes how my leg was caught by constant injuries and trapped by the medical field but it also supports my leg, symbolizing how my leg was supported by the same materials. While making this piece I was overcome with a lot of memories and nostalgia of my injuries, getting my leg stuck in the net, my team and the community I used to have. I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I never received the knee injury, but I do not regret the path that I am on.
Heavens Severance
The piece makes a comment on invasive species or more specifically talking about the Tree of Heaven tree that is on the grounds of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House. This piece is a combination of elegance and violence that stands to remind us that these invasive plants need to be “executed” before more harm is done. On display the piece is resting up on the actual Tree of Heaven that is set to be removed. The installment itself is in protest on why these plants are able to grow as large as they are. It's as if a lumber jack came in ready to cut the tree but rested his axe along the tree and never came back. Allowing someone else to come and do the job for them.
T-Shirt designed By Alex Copenhaver for the Cincinnati Ethics Center E&D Program. All rights belong to the Cincinnati Ethics Center and University of Cincinnati. Shirts are available for purchased on the Cincinnati Ethics Center Website through the University of Cincinnati.