Exploring waste leaves as an alternative material for making indoor sculpture

Abstract

This study explored the use of waste leaves as a reliable alternative material for indoor sculpture. Indoor sculptures have been made from different conventional materials obtained from the environment such as; metal, wood, ivory, silver, gold, bronze, clay among others. Most of these materials apart from wood and clay are very costly and not easily accessible. Wood and clay have been few of the easily accessible materials used by sculptors however, human activities such as construction, deforestation, dumping of waste products, farming, human settlements, charcoal burning, brick making and many others, have tampered with the environment hence the access to these materials is equally difficult. The researcher therefore investigated the use of waste leaves as an alternative material for indoor sculpture. The objectives of the study were to investigate the type of materials used in producing indoor sculpture in Kyambogo University school of Art and industrial design, to explore how waste leaves can be used as an alternative material for producing indoor sculpture and to produce sculpture samples from waste leaves as a reliable and alternative material for sculpture. The study was qualitative and employed a case study research design to collect data among respondents at the school of Art and Industrial design in Kyambogo University. The findings of this study affirm that waste leaves are a reliable alternative material for indoor sculpture, waste leaves can be used to produce indoor sculpture by using various sculpture techniques such as additive, subtractive or casting techniques and waste leaves can be used with an amateur for easy application of material and to give shape to the sculpture. This study recommends the use of waste leaves for production of sculpture to cut the cost of production using other materials and to save the environment. The study also recommends further research on the preservation of the finished sculptures for easy cleaning and restoration and using this material on outdoor sculpture. The continuous negative impact of human activities on environment reduce the availability of materials for sculpture because the different materials for sculpture such as wood, clay, silver, Gold, bronze among others are obtained from the environment therefore there is no future for the future sculptor. Well prepared waste leaves with a suitable adhesive, can produce a suitable, reliable and alternative material for indoor sculpture.