an ongoing work by Laurie Trok
Laurie Trok, a Pittsburgh based visual artist is working to create 1,000 cut paper pieces of art originating from the common paper ball. A paper ball is thrown away, discarded; it evokes frustration, shame, and embarrassment. This projects seeks to create templates from these emotional reactions to an idea.
Trok’s process consists of crumpling sheets of paper of varying sizes into paper balls, unfolding them, and following the lines of the folds to cut away the shapes created during the act of crumpling (a form of folding). It is a meditative practice that continues to reveal the architecture of this throw away action.
As with most paper cut work, an increment of time is revealed with each piece. While some have a great deal cut away and follow the creases with care and rigidity, others are more fast and loose. The repetition of this process one after another also marks time as the project grows.
Each work is documented by polaroid in its initial state, the paper ball. This polaroid accompanies the numbered and dated work, and is catalogued alongside the physical piece. This documentation helps to provide a visual history of each work.
Completed pieces from this project will be exhibited during Laurie Trok’s solo exhibition at The Mine Factory in Pittsburgh, PA. Interval runs from October 16-28 with an opening reception on October 16 from 6-9pm