Trace and Time’s Arrow

Milligan, Janis

Trace and Time’s Arrow

Master Thesis

2016

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Michaelis School of Fine Art

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

Trace can be thought of as a copy, a small amount of something, evidence, a remnant, vestige, residue or mark. Trace can also be considered more actively as a verb, meaning to follow, track or locate. The studio production that I am engaged with encompasses all of these meanings. My MFA research project specifically investigates trace from rust. Rust, also referred to as iron oxide, is a by-product of the breakdown or oxidation1 of iron, and it develops in the presence of oxygen, moisture and time. In my studio practice, I transfer rust onto various materials and it is the resultant vestigial marks, or ‘traces’, that are at the core of my MFA studio explorations.

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