topaz
mixed media installation
05 – 16 july 2017
dolph projects, london, england
press release | handout | takeaway | gallery
i start every new installation with two elements: 01. an initial reaction to the physical space, and 02. a floor plan. i arrive with next to nothing: a tape measure and some blue painters tape. either i scavenge for, or the space provides the rest.
light (as an essential medium in my practice) always plays a major role in truly understanding a space. naturally occurring light and fluorescent light fixtures intermingle to fill the room and reveal its intricacies. these elements: from past utility or aesthetics all culminate to inform my next movements.
it seemed fitting to start with philip newcombe, DOLPH’s first exhibitor. for whatever reason, the color topaz sticks in my brain. i first experienced philip’s work in the 2015 DOLPH catalogue. the color triggers something in me. DOLPH and i share this starting point.
bordering on obsession, i contemplate the yellow color. can i replicate it with my limited palette in my new york studio? can i imagine being at newcombe’s exhibit in 2014? can it feel my presence? my pressure? what does the color do as it revisits this space.
this process of working with space and light is more about possibility and awareness than about chance, though chance does play a role as it might in these circumstances. as i reside in this gallery, might i be able to make myself aware of every element within this space? might i provide you the same possibility?
this project was funded in part by a foundation for contemporary arts emergency grant.