'Preliminary Experiments Into The Fourth Dimension' is one of Sharon Fitness’ well-known silicone works, affectionately described by her as the ‘blobby wobbly’ series. This work is interwoven with a two ipod shuffles. It is the first by the artist to incorporate technology as a way to engage people to interact with wearer of piece, an element which now plays a significant role within her practice. The piece is accompanied with a soundtrack of “wearing and making sounds”, which can be played as ambient sound on speakers alongside the work.
On developing her silicone works, Fitness said in a Herald Viva Magazine interview that:
“experimenting with plastics, wire and latex, I discovered that I could use moulding silicone to create playful wobbly objects, and I was hooked. It is a great material to work with, taking on a huge range of colours and textures; giving the object a flexible, changeable dimension.
In a statement for the exhibition Retrospect that this piece was commissioned for, the artist wrote:
“My work is very much about play and movement. The changeable silicone forms I create seem to be irresistible to observers who are compelled to reach out and touch, to interact with the object, thereby interacting with the wearer and breaking down traditional social boundaries between strangers. I am very interested in jewellery's ability to grab attention and communicate information about the wearer, particularly the ability to communicate otherness.”