Published on: Nov 25, 2014
The idea of an art installation that redefines space has always been very appealing, the feeling of walking into a room and getting disoriented, lose sense of perspective and start questioning your eyes is a very primitive one, but it’s kind of the ultimate rush when it comes to art. Over the years there’s been a whole heap of amazing examples that do just that utilising strings, threads and ropes. These interventions often allow colour and light to manipulate their surroundings, and push the very concept of space and our experience within it. Many of the installations shown here are such compelling examples of experiential art which honor their context, elevating the idea of existing space with their own composition and interpretation.
“GRACED WITH LIGHT” BY ANNE PATTERSON | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
The “Graced With Light” art installation consists of approximately 1,100 strands of ribbon, with colours inspired by stained glass, cascading from the church’s vaulted ceiling arches. Anne Patterson envisioned it as “a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us.”
“PLEXUS NO. 19 & 12″ SERIES BY GABRIEL DAWE | COMO, ITALY
Mexican artist, Gabriel Dawe, creates colourful site-specific installations using bright gradients of suspended thread. Dawe, formally trained as a graphic designer, generates work as an extension and intersection of his interest in the connection between fashion and architecture. The contrast of the colored thread and the classical architecture of the Villa Olmo in Como, Italy are somewhat unusual but works beautifully.
Primarily focusing on the exploration of the textile medium, Gabriel Dawe uses the “Plexus” series to exercise a form of pedantic obsession, assembling thousands upon thousands of colored thread to build a shimmering, vibrant sculpture.
‘BANG’ BY RYUJI NAKAMURA AT THE CNAC LAB | TOKYO, JAPAN
Bang by Ryuji Nakamura – polyester ribbon installation for the Italian fashion brand CoSTUME NATIONAL at the CNAC LAB in Tokyo, Japan.
“TOO MUCH TIME, AGAIN” BY PAE WHITE
“Too Much Time, Again” is a thread installation by Los Angeles-based artist Pae White that stems from her own experiences with insomnia, which was on display at the South London Gallery in 2013. The installation geometrically spells out the words “TIGER TIME” on one wall and criss-crosses with a parade of strands that connect to the word “UNMATTERING” on the opposite surface. The large-scale structure echoes one’s endless stream of thoughts when they are robbed of a good night’s rest and come face to face with too much time to themselves.
“IN SILENCE” , BLACK STRING INSTALLATION BY CHIHARU SHIOTA
Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota presented “In Silence”, a site-specific installation for Art Basel 2013, featuring an abandoned/ burnt down piano concert that has been wrapped a thick layer of black thread.
ANNE LINDBERG TRANSFORMS SPACE WITH THREAD
Anne Lindberg’s recent work essentially redefines space using thread, allows colour and light to manipulate the hundreds of millimetre thick strands of string. Each of her pieces is specific to the place in which it is situated, no two identical based on the architecture, due to its lighting conditions and the space’s use.
THE “RAINBOW ROOM” INSTALLATION BY PIERRE LE RICHE
The ”Rainbow Room” installation by Pierre Le Riche takes a critical look at the sociological implications of Afrikaner masculine hegemony on homosexuality in post-apartheid South Africa. The intervention, built from 17km of acrylic thread, represents a traditional Afrikaan family living room in the midst of the 1995 rugby world cup final match. Through an implementation of colorful and playful yarn bombs onto traditional pieces of furniture and over 150 rugby balls, the concept of homosexuality and masculinity is juxtaposed, questioning the acceptance of same-sex relations.
“LIBERTY AND ANARCHY” | GEOMETRIC SCULPTURES FORMED WITH MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS BY NIKE SAVVAS.
Australian artist Nike Savvas recently premiered many of her new works in a solo exhibition “Liberty and Anarchy”, atLeeds Art Gallery in the UK. The show featured a collection of brightly coloured, large-scale pieces including several of these captivating geometric shapes. For each design, Savvas used specific mathematical formulas to develop the three dimensional wooden structures, then covered the openings with colourful patterns of wool.
“MOVING MESHES” | FLEXIBLE BAMBOO FORMS BY MARIA BLAISSE
“Moving Meshes” is a series of flexible bamboo forms developed by dutch designer Maria Blaisse. The body of work lies at the intersection of design, art and movement and is composed of five delicate structures that stand as both costume and sculpture, expanding, contracting, bouncing and shifting, easily manipulated during improvisations and performances, exploring the body as a critical element in the animation of material and form. The installation of the individual pieces was developed by fellowship students of Parsons The New School for Design in collaboration with exhibition designer Mikaël Baillairgé
