Torin Porter

I am drawn to forms that explore humanness as it exists in the imagination. Whether human figures are absent or present, I see an emphasis on humanity as the unifying aspect of my work—humanity as it relates to its inventions, to nature, and to itself.

I make sculpture because I am interested in engaging people in real-space, real-time interactions. I used to make paintings, but I found that I began painting out the backgrounds. I only wanted a central, single image; and then I wanted it free from the blanked canvas so there would be no distractions and it would be as immediately present to us as possible. I wanted it to really exist—I wanted it to be sculpture.

I like to work in steel and wood because they are strong materials associated with hand-made objects that have a specific purpose. I think of each sculpture as a kind of tool or toy for creating a dialogue within the viewer. As we move around a sculpture or move it around in our hands, our view of it is constantly changing. It is not a fixed, idealized vision existing out of our reach. Instead, it responds to our movements and perspectives. It is by our exploration of a sculpture that its story reveals itself and we become part of that story.

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