One thing I found interesting was that Pfaff claimed that she was never interested in becoming a sculptor. Being a painter first, she was inspired by artists like Elizabeth Murray and was deterred by welding because of their dirty, alcoholic associations. But when she began with her first welder, she noted that she got a thin sheet metal which she described as a “sweet welder.” With this, she connected it to the process of sewing or using a hot glue gun. I found this fascinating as Pfaff was able to rewrite her preconceived prejudices of welding as stereotypically male-centric, into something more applicable to her. In other words, she reclaims the artform by regendering and realigning it with more traditional “female” artforms. I think that this is crucial when participating in anything unfamiliar and initially unappealing. The ability to enter into a previously exclusive field is a feat definitely worth celebrating.
Another aspect I found intriguing was Pfaff’s distinction between painters and sculptures. When painting, she found that she couldn’t stop until the work was finished. During this time, she wouldn’t allow any extraneous thoughts to inhibit her progress. With sculpture, however, she felt that she could extend the work for months. She claims that they tell different kinds of stories and function as sequences of moments, ultimately serving as a better fit for her artistic vision. I found this comment to be striking and somewhat relatable. As someone used to painting more than sculpture, I agree that painting is all-consuming, yet usually has a clear endpoint. But with sculpture, I can see the inclination one may have to keep adding and evolving it to better suit their end goal.