Iqra Polani
BA, Sculpture & Ceramics
BA, Visual Communication
Statement
Untitled was formed using folded vellum paper tetrahedrons that were combined into modules, which were then joined together to create a larger configuration. Although this piece was originally meant to be displayed in a deconstructed composition in the Loyola University Museum of Art gallery space, where the individual modules are not connected to one another, this current display exemplifies the versatility that modularity can provide.
Untitled is an addition to an ongoing series of sculptural pieces. The main focus of this body of work is on exploring modularity and working with multiples. Much of the existing sculptures that Iqra created in the past focus on process and formalistic attributes. Untitled further expands upon her exploration and research on platonic solids, focusing primarily on the tetrahedron. Each individual sculpture in this body of work aims to explore scale, surface patterns, and alternate compositions, using platonic solids as a stimulus. The tetrahedron represents balance and stability. Untitled embodies this idea through its various offset limbs that remain balanced due to the structural integrity of the tetrahedron.
The arrangement of the modules generates an assumed depth and weight through the dense arrangement of each individual tetrahedron. The typical light and airy nature of paper is modified by how the pieces have been arranged, completely transforming how the viewer interacts with the work. This current display of Untitled is a fraction of the entire sculpture, which is intended to be displayed in segments along the wall using dozens of modules.
Bio
Iqra Polani is a sculptor and graphic designer from Dallas, Texas. Iqra’s sculptural work primarily focuses on exploring multiples and modularity, and places an emphasis on final structure and form. Much of her work is influenced by her interests in architecture and geometric forms. The concept of modular design being used to form larger bodies of work parallels design concepts found in architecture. The idea of subunits connecting together to form a singular complete unit is reflected in much of Iqra’s work. Her particular interest in using paper to create geometric shapes, such as the tetrahedron, allows for compositions that feature clean, contoured lines and edges that are smoothly rounded and clearly defined. The use of modular forms allows for repetition in the overall design of Iqra’s works, strengthening the ideas and associations surrounding multiplicity she frequently expresses. Iqra plans to continue her studies after graduation to pursue a Master of Architecture degree. She hopes to use her intersecting interests in art and architecture to further explore how the two can be used together to create meaningful work that has the potential to change how architecture can be employed to influence and enact social change.