“Inverted Spires and Descendent Folds” at Victoria Miro’s Gallery II in London is an exhibition of new sculptures in steel and cast bronze by British artist Conrad Shawcross who is best known for his geometric and mechanical sculptures in wood and metal.Drawing influence from philosophical ideas and scientific theories, Shawcross often appropriates redundant theories and methodologies, approaching these systems from an artistic point of view to create metaphysical and philosophical works that give the illusion of being scientific and rational.Considered “maquettes,” the French word for scaled-down version or models of an intended work, some of the pieces in “Inverted Spires and Descendent Folds” correspond to realized commissions while others are propositions for works on a monumental scale.The body of work focusses on two lines of enquiry: Shawcross’s ongoing explorations of the four-sided tetrahedron as a tessellating form in his Paradigm series, and the dynamic visual potential of harmonics in his Manifold works.According to Victoria Miro, the works are installed as a singular sculptural field, bearing relationships to both architecture and the body, and eliciting “a subtle line between structure and nature, the metaphysical and the molecular.”The Victoria Miro exhibition coincides with a monumental site-specific installation for the Annenberg Courtyard for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2015. Titled “The Dappled Light of the Sun, 2015,” the work comprises five branching cloud-like forms made up of thousands of tetrahedrons.“The Greeks considered the tetrahedron to represent the very essence of matter. In this huge work I have taken this form as my ‘brick,’ growing these chaotic, diverging forms that will float above the heads of visitors who will be able to wander,” Shawcross explains.Conrad Shawcross | Inverted Spires and Descendent Folds is at Victoria Miro until July 31
↧