A side-step, a reflective glance, 2018
Babel Visningrom for Kunst, Trondheim, Norway.
19 - 28 October 2018.
The artworks in “a side-step, a reflective glance” (2018) were focused on the materials plexiglass and silicone rubber, both used in image production and body augmentation. Plexiglass is ubiquitous in its presence across computer screens, advertising displays, and framed artworks. Microbeads of plexiglass are also the main ingredient in plastic surgery procedures such as facial fillers and implants. I am particularly interested in this material that crosses the boundary between image and body - it is simultaneously used to enhance the display of images, and to change the body to better match an image. Silicone rubber is another material used in many medical implants while also having widespread use in electro-mechanical industries. From a sculptural perspective it has a skin like appearance, which I exploited in the work. Close up images of the grease and fingerprints on my smartphone screen were printed on the rubber, which was pierced and hung from small plexiglass forms that resemble the dust on the screen. The silicone rubber is translucent, and the images are visible from both sides. By using these materials I locate the human body in the image in a sensual, haptic, and non-figurative way. I feel that working from a material perspective may bring new understanding of the relation between my body, the image, and the widespread proliferation of plastics within organic life.