Kayla Visintine
Agrostologic, 2022
Grass, Aluminum, Copper
Most of my visuals emerge from the natural, while I manipulate an element’s predestined order.Agrostologic is the study of different grasses. Grass collected from vacant lots around the city of Chicago were cut, beat, boiled, and molded to create uniquely circular textiles. The juxtaposition of these soft textiles with hard metal displays a dichotomy that creates a natural, yet human-altered installation. The natural processes and ideas that I mimic lead me to new and connected visual discoveries.
Kayla Visintine
Metalmorphosis, 2023
Steel and Copper
Metalmorphosis explores the transformation of metal insects originating from spontaneously controlled ink blots. Each metal inksect is submerged in a diverse environment that introduces an interplay of corrosion, oxidation, and alteration.
Metal creatures were immersed in a lactic acid fermentation process, while others were placed outside for natural weathering. Additionally, certain inksects were soaked in tannic acid solutions created from acorns and oak leaves. Winogradsky columns were created to form unique microbial and environmental variables fostering the bugs’ evolution. Lemons, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and salts helped to create highly acidic and reactive conditions for the rapid oxidation of metal.
As the metal insects transform, the project becomes a visual chronicle, capturing the ephemeral beauty of corrosion and the emergence of unforeseen hues and patterns.