This gavel was sculpted from California Prison Industry Authority (CAL-PIA) soap, which is made by and for the population in California prisons. CAL-PIA bars turn to butter-like clay when soaked in hot water. Using multiple bars of soap soaked in a bucket of water, I shaped this gavel by hand.
I started with the handle by using an unfolded paper clip to strengthen the core and left room to attach the head. I then left the gavel in direct sunlight to dry and harden while I sculpted the head. Finally, I attached the two pieces together, allowed it to dry and solidify around the paperclip, and finished it off with acrylic paint.
I wanted to add a figurine of a woman being crushed under the gavel, but an institutionally-forced bed move broke the body into pieces and left me without time to remake her. However, the gavel survived and is on display as a symbol of America's injustice, which women are crushed beneath.
This artwork was commissioned for the Empowerment Avenue exhibition The Only Door I Can Open: Women Exposing Prison Through Art and Poetry
