Vertical stacked forms reference long standing totemic traditions in sculpture and ritual objects without attempting to reproduce or appropriate specific cultural symbols. Instead, the work engages with the idea of the totem as a marker of presence, orientation, and attention. The forms function as quiet signals rather than symbolic declarations.

The project sits within the tradition of land art and process based sculpture. It shares affinities with the work of Andy Goldsworthy, particularly his emphasis on making in situ and allowing natural processes to shape the outcome. The vertical simplicity of the forms also recalls the sculptural language of Barbara Hepworth and Constantin Brâncuși, where stacked and elongated forms act as anchors between ground and sky.

Documentation is central to the work. The video records making, carrying, placing, and leaving the sculptures. The finished object is not treated as the final product. Instead, the project values the sequence of actions and the temporary relationship formed between body, material, and landscape. The work disappeared shortly after placement and I had to do some detective work to find it at a local Forestry commission depot.

In the contemporary  world of digital and conceptual art, The Totem Project offers a contrast or counterpoint through its demand for physical interaction with the work and the manual making and effortful placement of the work becoming part of it. While the work is documented in video, its core concerns remain grounded in touch, weight, balance, and time and ultimately reflects an interest in how multiple complex and interacting meaning can be generated or simply arise from quite simple acts.