Saturday, December 6, 2008

Master of surface complexity

Artists who layer materials to create intricate surfaces that read like poems are at the top of my what's hot in art list. No one does this better than Will Gill. The highlight of my day yesterday was seeing his new work at Christina Parker Gallery. I've provided a link under websites for those who want to check out his work.

Will is a sculptor who also creates wall works, which I think of a 2D sculptures. His use of plywood as a support allows him to use tools (e.g., router) to create relief spaces and fill them with new materials, creating a strongly patterned graphic quality. Duality is evident in his work in both his process and content. His use of mechanical interventions with a pastel colour palette and collaged papers is a constant; he explores themes of beauty and destruction, pits industrial against organic and at times can be downright whimsical. There is both order and chaos. No matter what the content, you will always want to revisit and perhaps cop a quick touch when no one is looking.

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