Some connections shape us so completely that we only understand their weight when they begin to loosen.
Untethered began inside a nearly century-old grand piano made in New York. While dismantling its internal structure, I discovered small mechanical components that looked unexpectedly like tiny human figures.
I did not begin with a story for them. I simply noticed them.
Then the red wire appeared.
Stretching between the figures, it became a physical line of connection — delicate, tangled and held under tension. As the work developed, that image became increasingly personal.
I was experiencing the palpable feeling of becoming untethered from someone whose presence had shaped so much of my life.
The work grew from that feeling, but it is not simply about separation or loss. It is about what happens when a connection changes form.
The people who shape us do not simply disappear from who we are. Their influence travels forward through memory, habit, gesture and the invisible threads we continue to carry.
From across a room, Untethered first reads through colour, structure and strong architectural form. Move closer and the work begins to change. Small figures emerge. Fine red wires become visible. What first appeared abstract becomes unexpectedly intimate.
That shift matters to me.
One of the things I love most about art is that not everyone will see the same thing. That’s exactly as it should be. The longer we spend with a piece, the more of ourselves we can often uncover.
For one person, Untethered may speak about a parent. For another, a partner, a friendship, family history or even a version of themselves they are slowly leaving behind.
My story began the work.
The meaning does not have to end there.
What remains of a connection when the bond itself begins to change?
MATERIALS
Components from a nearly century-old New York grand piano, melted plastics, acrylic signage. red wire, nitrocellulose gives it the vibrant colours, acrylic resin and leaf skeletons.
The piano components retain evidence of their previous life rather than having that history disguised.
Through my practice of Circular Elevation, familiar materials are released from their original function and allowed to enter a completely new conversation.
Here, mechanisms once designed to work unseen inside an instrument become figures, relationships and physical traces of connection.
PRESENTATION
Untethered is an original one-of-one contemporary assemblage artwork, individually constructed and hand-finished in my West Auckland studio.
Its vivid green outer frame gives the work a strong architectural presence, while its negative space, layered surfaces and fine red wire reward much closer looking.
Presented ready to hang and beautifully resolved from every angle, because craftsmanship shouldn’t stop where the artwork ends.
A signed Certificate of Authenticity is included.
DIMENSIONS
53 × 75 cm
PRICE
NZ$2,000
Original one-of-one artwork.
PERFECT PLACEMENT
Untethered has enough colour and structure to hold a wall confidently while still leaving room for the space around it.
It works particularly well somewhere it can be experienced both from across the room and at close range — in a living room, entranceway, study, music room or considered office interior.
Its connection to a nearly century-old grand piano gives it an additional resonance in spaces where music, history and meaningful objects already form part of the story.
Changing natural light brings different surfaces, colours and fine material details forward throughout the day.
SEE THE ARTWORK
See Untethered in motion
Photographs can capture the composition, but they cannot completely show the depth, changing surfaces and tiny relationships within this work.
Watch the video to see Untethered from different angles and experience the details that emerge as light moves across the surface — particularly the small piano components, fine red connections and layered sculptural elements.
PRIVATE STUDIO VIEWINGS
Buying art online doesn’t mean you have to buy it unseen.
I run MyShinyMadness as a studio-based urban gallery in West Auckland, and collectors are very welcome to arrange a private viewing before making a decision.
Seeing an artwork in person gives you the opportunity to experience its true scale, surface, colour and dimensionality — things a screen can never completely reproduce.
If you are further away, I am also very happy to provide additional photographs, close-up video, measurements or a personal video walkthrough of the artwork so you can feel confident before purchasing.
To arrange a private studio viewing or ask about this artwork:lisa@myshinymadness.com
International collectors are equally welcome to get in touch to discuss the artwork, custom crating, insured shipping or any questions before purchasing.
COLLECTOR INFORMATION
Original: One-of-one
Dimensions: 53 × 75 cm
Price: NZ$2,000
Certificate of Authenticity: Included
Presentation: Ready to hang
Artist: Lisa Watkins | MyShinyMadness
Studio: West Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand
International collectors are welcome. Secure payment, custom crating and insured international shipping can be arranged directly.
Available to purchase now, or enquire about Art Leasing for residential, corporate and hospitality spaces.
If Untethered keeps drawing you back, there may be a reason.
