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Robin Croft’s recent “drawing in the wild” tribute to H. C. Westermann’s Death Ships has garnered attention from the Washington Post where John Kelly wrote an article about Robin and his latest death ship and a video was made:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGx8qXc-ZVA
Since the article appeared, the 30’l x 12’h x 3’w ship has been taken apart by clean up crews. But this doesn’t trouble Robin who likens them to etch-a sketches and takes their ephemeral quality in stride, even though as he points out, “We’re only making stuff with trash and lumber found there. We don’t add anything.” But there are lessons in the loss he encounters in these fragile, guerilla art pieces: “Nothing can be taken for granted. Constant change proves to be the only reliable point of reference.”
It’s been a few years since Robin, having run out of space in his studio, expanded out into the outdoors to create his sculptures he builds using scavenged materials from the immediate surroundings. Robin refers to the sculptures as “drawings in the wild.”Borrowing from his childhood fort building experiences, Robin doesn’t use nails, screws or glue, instead weaving the material together in wattle-like fashion.
Since the article appeared, the 30’l x 12’h x 3’w ship has been taken apart by clean up crews. But this doesn’t trouble Robin who likens them to etch-a sketches and takes their ephemeral quality in stride, even though as he points out, “We’re only making stuff with trash and lumber found there. We don’t add anything.” But there are lessons in the loss he encounters in these fragile, guerilla art pieces: “Nothing can be taken for granted. Constant change proves to be the only reliable point of reference.”