BA, Art (Studio Arts – Sculpture)
moral_candor@myyahoo.com
Artist Statement
Presence through Absence
Activation of the negative through proximity, whether through a vast distance or an intimate closeness, accentuates the pillars as one circles the piece. The bulk of the material is hard maple which was shaped into pillars and then distressed to reveal a form of ‘inner workings’ within. A shade of blue is used as mild contrast to that of the natural wood grain, highlighting the melding of minimalist intent with geometric shape keen on expressing the negative.
The pillar groupings of three, two, and three individuals are laid out in a fashion to force tension and accentuate the negative, allowing the shadows to add depth despite being empty space. As you walk around the piece, notice how the pillars jut up from the ground, broken and hewn, activating space and causing tension within the negative. Focus on the space between the groupings, the spaces within each grouping, and the point of interest between the stalagmite and the levitating piece above.
The positive and the negative are always at play with one another and to me, the negative is most interesting. It is always there, lurking just out of perception despite being in plain sight. Our consciousness is the canvas upon which our life unfolds while our subconsciousness is the negative. These are akin to the relationship of pillar, shadow, and the void surrounding – there but not there, absent and present.
