PROCESS

The process was relatively complex. First I had to find and capture a real spider, big enough to photocopy. Luckily I found a decently sized one not too far from my place. Next I trapped it in a plastic container in order to keep it immobile while I photocopied it. I discovered while doing it that the spider scurried around too quickly for me to get a clean, focused shot of its body, which left me with three somewhat clear images.

I was observing the spider after the third scan and I saw how much agony it must have felt. This is when I decided to let it go, so I put it back on its original web.

Once I formulated my new composition based on freedom, I started cutting and pasting, changing the sizing and lighting, and rephotocopying until I got the layout I had in mind.

Lighting: I wanted to use lighting to my advantage. A lack of light would convey a feeling of entrapment, while a source of light would portray freedom.

Layering: In the trapped corner I cluttered the cut-outs more to make it look claustrophobic, while in the freedom corner I aimed to clear it up a little more.

The white specs are there to symbolize freedom. First the spider gets out of its clump and finds the beginning of the trail. Then It keeps going towards the edge and is free at last.