No 5 is Halfway There, 1995

The number 5 is an idea, a symbol and a shape that has been the starting point of several pieces of my work from this period. The two figures of the binary counting system, '0' and '1' are intended to represent the idea of female and male. The contrasting circular and straight outline forms of these two 'parent' numerals provide the basis of the form of this composition - whilst the embryonic shape of the figure '5', containing both straight and curved lines, is contained between these two figures and within what could be imaged as a womb.

This figure '5' has been embossed into a tablet of hand-made paper made from reconstituted business documents' it was then photographed and the image transferred to an etching plate. An impression was then made onto hand-made paper and the original figure 5 embossed into that. In this way, one could say the Number '5' is taking material form in drawing from its own image.

This fragile, embryonic subject is protected by a glass panel, a medium capable of reflecting the identity of the viewer. Outside this womb, the unprotected parent numerals, '0' and '1' will one day melt away.

The title appears in French because the work was developed whilst living in Normandy in 1995.