Connectivity

JA N E T E C HE LM A N · Y IZHA K EL Y A SHIV · BETH GALSTON B E TH G A N Z · JOHN GRADE · DA N IEL K OHN · J ON A THAN PRINCE S HU LI S A DÉ · GEORGE SHERWOOD · CLAIRE WAT KINS

A pri l 2 6 t hrough J une 1 5 O p e ni ng Recept i on A pri l 2 6, 6 - 9 PM M cC ol l C ent er f or Vi sua l A rt 7 2 1 N ort h Tryon St reet , C ha rl ot t e, N C

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Connectivity is an evocative concept w i t h p ro f o u n d connotations. It b esp eaks of the linkage a m on g va r iou s complex levels of organic life—the aven u e s b y w h i c h ener gies are com m unicated ; the im p lic it ide a th a t all insp ir ation shares com m on thread s; th e in visible inter weaving of thought, action and crea tivity. I t is th e b asis of all m ap p ing—of how we envision ou r pla c e in a b road er context—from the m icro to ma c ro wor lds.

The implicit connections of human life to its e n v i ro n m e n t , of art to science, and of natural to ma n - m a d e , h a v e fascinated ar tists for m illennia. In this wa y, both a r t a n d science ser ve as a connective realm , b r i dgin g m u ltiple p aths of knowled ge to reveal b road er con c e pts.

In p rom oting this p hilosop hical inq ui r y, C Y N TH I A REEVES Projects has inv ited a select numbe r of a r tists to share with us their vision on the d y n a m i c t h e o r y of connectiv ity. Each exp lores v ar ious a spe c ts of th is thesis through his or her uniq ue v isual le n s.

Connectivity features the work of artists Ja n e t E c h e l m a n , Yizkah Elyashiv, Beth Galston, Beth Ganz , J o h n G r a d e , Daniel Kohn, Jonathan Prince, Shuli S a d e , G e o r g e Sher wood and C laire Watkins.

M any o f th e se sa m e artists’ works are included in the vanguard c o n t e m p o r a r y art collection held by Duke Energy. T h i s c o l l e c t i o n is installed in Duke’s new 24-floor he a d q u a r t e r s i n downtown Charlotte. CYNTHIA-REEVE S P ro j e c t s i s p leased to b e creating a visual and p h ilosoph ic lin k b etween D uke Ener gy and the M cC oll C e n te r f or V isu a l Arts.

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is the main thesis behind this curated exhibition ?

L O RI E ME R T E S, I n t erim Pro gr am D irector, M cC oll C enter for V isual A r t: Cy n th i a R eeves ch os e t h e t itle of CONNECTIVITY to illustrate the con c e p t t h a t i d e a s a n d t h e i r m anifestations share common threads. In many ways she sel e c t e d a r t i s t s w h o s e w o r k i magines what the space between inspiration and creativity lo o k s l i k e . W h e t h e r a n e t w o r k of neurons and impulses, an air traffic control map, a cellu l a r p h o n e n e t w o r k , c o n d u i ts, matrices inspires it, these exhibited works have a basis in s c i e n c e , t e c h n o l o g y a n d n a ture.

CY N T HI A R E E V E S, Direct or, C YN TH IA-REEVES Projects:

CONNECTIVITY arises from the gallery’s long-standing interest in the c o n v e r g e n c e o f a r t a n d s c i ence. Artists frequenty draw from their observations of the na t u r a l w o r l d a t b o t h a m a c ro and micro level. The se observations enliven their creative inq u i r y – i t i s a s i f t h e y c o m e back to a touchstone, even if those observations are not overt l y m a n i f e s t e d i n t h e fi n a l w ork. I n s ome w ays , ar tists can b e as p rescient as p oets.

T h e i r w ork can be seen as signposts or harbingers of scientific disco v e r i e s s t i l l t o c o m e .

I t h i n k of Jackson Pollock and his signature drip paintings: he was pa i n t i n g f r a c t a l t h e o r y b e f o re fractal theory was ever identified in the scientific world. Mo re p o i g n a n t l y, N o b e l P r i z e a wardee an d lau reat e p hy sicist Richard Tay lor, when asked ab ou t th e a ssoc ia tion of a r t a n d s cien ce s aid, “I f s om eone asked , ‘C an I have nature p ut onto a pie c e of c a n va s? ’ th e b e s t ex ample t h ere h as ev er b een of that is [Pollock’s] 1948’s N um be r 14.”

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JANET ECHELMAN

J a n e t Ec h e lma n c re a t e s mo n um e nt a l p ub l i c s c u lpt u re s f o r t h e u r ba n s c a pe . She a c hi e v e s l a r g e s c a le , vo lu me t r ic f o r ms t h ro u g h i nno v a t i v e use o f s pe c ia lly wo ve n n e t s . Af t e r g r a d ua t i ng fro m H a r va rd Un ive r s it y, Ec h e lma n t r av e l e d t he w o r l d , studying calligraphy in Hong Kong, collaborating with local artisans to combine textile traditions and contemporary painting in Bali, and learning h o w t o we a ve n e t t in g f ro m lo c a l f ishe r m e n i n I nd i a .

T h e s e n e t “ s c u lpt u re s ” in t e r a c t b e a ut i ful l y w i t h t h e ir s u r ro u n din g e n viro n me n t s : t h e l i g ht , t he w i nd , a n d t h e s u r ro u n d i n g a rc h i t e c t u re . E c h e l m a n h a s s u c c e s s f u l l y c re a t e d m o n u m e n t a l n e t s c u l p t u re s i n s i t e s t h ro u g h o u t t h e w o r l d , c o l l a b o r a t i n g w i t h t e a m s of aeronautical and mec h a n i c a l e n g i n e e r s , a rc h i t e c t s , l a n d s c a p e a rc h i t e c t s , l i g h t i n g designers and fabricators .

A t wo -dimensio nal inquir y in t o wa ve pa t t e r n s , Ec h e lma n ’s Wave Drawings ut i l i z e textiles imbedded with g la s s mic ro be a ds . T h e a r t is t s c r ibe s wit h a m e t a l st y l us on t o the f abric, crushing mic ro be a ds a n d c h a n g in g t h e wa y t h e l i g ht i s re fl e c t e d from the surf ace of the f a br ic , c re a t in g a h o lo g r a ph ic ima g e o f und ul a t i ng l i ne s.

E chelman is a TED Talk A lu mn a n d a Gu g g e n h e im F e llo w.

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Janet Echelman, Expanding Club, 2007, polypropolene, dimensions variable

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Janet Echelman, Wave Drawing, 2011, glass micro bead fabric, 48” x 60”

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YIZHAK ELYASHIV

Yizhak Elyashiv is an I s r a e l i m a s t e r printmaker. His ongo in g in qu ir y, Maps , is a scale o f pr in t ma k in g rarely undertaken d u e t o i t s inherent complexity a n d t e c h n i c a l challenges. Each map i s c o m p r i s e d of ten panels, whose e t c h e d l i n e s must intersect precis e l y f ro m o n e panel to the next. Thi s is e s pe c ia lly important in Elyashiv ’s w o r k s , a s these fine connectin g t h re a d s a re the basis of his philo s o ph ic in qu ir y.

There is the implicit me s s a g e in t h is work of mapping – a l b e i t a m o re spiritual o r philoso ph ic a l ma ppin g – that on its surface a p p e a r s t o b e topographical in nature. The relating of these two worlds – t h e o v e r t a n d t h e i n v i s i b l e – i s a c h i e v e d t h ro u g h s u b t l e , eleg ant mark-making . Elya s h iv t e a c h e s a t t h e R h o de Is la n d Sc h o o l o f D e si g n.

Ely ashiv ’s work has be e n wide ly c o lle c t e d, a n d is c u r re n t ly p a r t o f t he collections o f the Is r a e l Mu s e u m, t h e B r it is h Mu s e u m, t h e Fo g g A r t Museum at Harv ard Un ive r s it y, T h e Ya le Un ive r s it y Ar t G a l l e r y, T he B rookly n Museum, a n d t h e Cle ve la n d Mu s e u m o f Ar t , a m o ng o t he r s.

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Yizhak Elyashiv, Map with Gourd Containers, 2001, monoprint, 6’ x 10’ previous page: Yizhak Elyashiv, Landscape Sulfur Field, monoprint, 6’ x 10’

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BETH GALSTON

Beth Galston c re a t e s immersive e n v i ro n m e n t s f o r i n t e r i o r a n d e x t e r i o r spaces. Her site-specific installations draw t h e i r i n s p i r a t i o n f ro m t h e n a t u r a l w o r l d ; o f t e n , s h e t a k e s dis c re t e e le m e nt s suc h a s acorns or seeds and she will cast them in a c r y l i c t o a c h i e v e t h e p re c i s e b e a u t y s h e a s p i re s t o . B y a d d i n g L E D l i g h t s t o t h e s e naturally shaped elements, her work takes o n a n e t h e re a l g lo w. Luminous Gardens , t h e pie c e in c lu de d in Connectivity , bu n dle s h u n dre ds o f t h e s e l um i no us e le me n t s , wh ic h a re s u s pe n de d a s t ho ug h t h e y a re a s o f t l y l i t , u n d e r w a t e r g a rd e n .

Galston describes the beginning of her pro c e s s a s “ do o dlin g ” wit h m a t e r i a l s. “ I u s u a l l y d o n ’t h a v e a p l a n , b u t I h a v e s o m e t h i n g i n m y h e a d t ha t i n t e re s t s me . . . Of t e n I c re a t e a mo du l a r uni t a nd repreat it, altering it s lig h t ly e a c h t ime . As t h e e le me n t s a c c u mu l a t e a nd t he installation takes sha pe , I t h in k a bo u t t h e mo o d o r a mbie n c e o f t he p i e c e and ho w people will e x pe r ie n c e t h e s pa c e a s t h e y wa lk t h ro ug h i t . T he materials I use are t r a n s l u c e n t o r re f l e c t i v e , s o t h e y d o i n t e re s t i n g t h i n g s with light and shado w. I u s e t h e ma g ic o f lig h t t o c re a t e s pa c e s t ha t a re experiential and imm e r s ive , in vo lvin g vie we r s a s pa r t ic ipa n t s ” (B e t h G a l st o n) .

Currently, the art i s t is working on two permanent public art a t t h e Mu s ic Cit y in Na s h ville , Te nne sse e , commissions: Sound Wave and Prarie Grass a t No r t h we s t Se r vic e C e n t e r in Sa n An t oni o , Te xa s.

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Beth Galston, Luminous Gardens, 2009, wire, LED lights, cast resin, dimensions variable previous page: Luminous Gardens [detail]

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BETH GANZ

B e t h Ga n z h a s be e n e x p l o r i ng ne w w a y s o f l a y e r i n g p h o t o g r a p h y, a ff o rd i n g h e r f re e lic e n s e t o e n h a n c e dim e nsi o na l i t y a nd de pt h o f f ie ld. T h e Chandbibi Series i s t he la t e s t ma n if e s t a t io n o f t h i s i nq ui r y ; G a nz be g in s wit h a ph o t o g r a ph ic sub st r a t e b a se d on the random abstract patterns of vines.

Superimposed over this organic motif is the v e r y r i g o ro u s a rc h i t e c t u r a l d e t a i l o f H i n d u t e m p l e s , d r a w n f ro m p h o t o g r a p h s s h e t o o k o n a re c e n t t r i p t o I n d i a . Q u i t e l i t e r a l l y, h e r w o r k s re p re s e n t t h e c o n f l u e n c e o f t h e o r g a n ic a n d t h e ma n - mad e . T he e ffe c t i s h e i g h t e n e d b y t h e b e a u t i f u l o v e r- p a i n t i n g t h e a r t i s t h a s d o n e b y h a n d , re s u l t i n g i n a vibr a n t a n d e vo c a t ive a b st r a c t p i e c e .

B e t h Ga n z is a c t ive ly inv o l v e d w i t h t he Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in Ne w Yo r k , a n d h a s e x h ib i t e d i n E ng l a nd , E u ro pe, and India as we ll a s t h ro u g h o u t t h e U S . H e r w o r k i s i n c l u d e d i n t h e permenant collections at t h e L i b r a r y o f C o n g re s s i n Wa s h i n g t o n , D C ; t h e N e w Yo r k Pu blic Library Prints Co lle c t io n , NY; a n d t h e H o f s t r a Mu s e u m a t Ho f s t r a U ni v e r si t y, N Y.

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Beth Ganz, Deccan Queen I, 2012, digital print, oil paint, wax on paper, 39” x 47”

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Beth Ganz, Deccan Queen II, 2012, digital print, oil paint, wax on paper, 39” x 47”

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Beth Ganz, studio installation

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JOHN GRADE

Jo hn Grade appro aches s c u lpt u re wit h bo t h t h e ir c re a t io n a n d t he i r d e c a y fi r m l y i n mind. Grade’s sculpt u re s a re bu ilt f ro m n a t u r a l ma t e r ia ls a n d o ft e n t he y a re expo sed to weather and t h e s e a s o n s t o s e e h o w t h e ma t e r ia ls a re i m p a c t e d b y na ture. Inspired by the e ro s i o n o f t h e n a t u r a l l a n d s c a p e , e a c h p i e c e i s c re a t e d i n a way that will speed up i t s o w n d e c o m p o s i t i o n a n d b e c o m e w h a t G r a d e d e s c r i b e s as “an interesting conve r s a t io n ” be t we e n t h e la n ds c a pe a n d t he sc ul p t ure .

Jo hn Grade began his Fold s e r ie s in 2 0 1 0 – s c u lpt u re s c re a t e d f ro m m e t i c ul o usl y co nf igured wood “cells” c o n n e c t e d by re s in . T h e o r ig in a l s c u lpt u re wo n t he t o p a w a rd at the Academy of Arts a n d L e t t e r s i n N e w Yo r k C i t y t h a t y e a r. T h e t w o o r i g i n a l s c ulptures in the Fold s e r ie s a re c u r re n t ly in t e r re d, o n e in Ida h o , a nd t he o t he r i n th e high desert o f the so u t h we s t . Gr a de ’s in t e n t io n is f o r t h e s e s c u lp t ure s t o re fl e c t their integration into the e c o s y s t e m a n d t o s h o w t h e i m p a c t o f r a i n , e ro s i o n , i n s e c t l i fe , and temperature. Control , t h e t h i rd i n t h i s s e r i e s , re p re s e n t s t h e s c u l p t u re i n i ts o rig inal state. Grade re c e n t ly o pe n e d a n in s t a lla t io n t h e J o h n M i c ha e l Ko hl e r Art Museum and a 60 f o o t in s t a lla t io n a t t h e Mu s e u m o f H is t o r y a nd I nd ust r y i n Seattle. A new public art pro je c t f o r t h e Cit y o f Po r t la n d, OR will be o p e ni ng i n J ul y.

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John Grade, Control, 2011, wood and resin, 30” x 30” x 28” previous page: John Grade, Wawona, wood, 60’, permenant installation at the Museum of History and Industry, WA

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DANIEL KOHN

B ro o k l y n - b a s e d artist Daniel Kohn has begun a 1 0 -m o nt h, se v e nfloor installation of his experimental artwork, Instance of a Dataset , commissioned by the B ro a d I n s t i t u t e o f M I T a n d H a r v a rd i n C a m br idg e , M a ssa c huse t t s.

T h is g r a d ua l l y unfo l d i ng public piece, comprised o f o ve r 1 5 0 0 d i g i t i z e d o r i g i n al w a t e rc o l o r t i l e s , is a culmination of his c ro s s - d i sc i p l i na r y c o l la bo r a t i o n w i t h B ro a d scientists.

Inspired by and reflective o f g e n o m i c e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n , t h e p i e c e i s a w o r k i n g h y p o t h e s i s th at explores and echoes t h e wo r k be in g c o n du c t e d a t t h e B ro a d, a n d i n t he b ro a d e r field of genomic science. K o h n b r i n g s t h e s a m e l a n g u a g e a n d a p p ro a c h t o t h e w o r k s i n c luded here: a g rid-patt e r n t h a t a ff o rds a dyn a mic re la t io n s h ip a mo ng e l e m e nt s t ha t are ev o lv ing, interacting, a n d mo r ph in g o n e t o t h e o t h e r. His wo r k w i t h t he B ro a d In stitute f o llo wed the lan dma r k , la r g e - s c a le wo r k s Seen From Above , c re a t e d fo r t he M TA in Grand Central St a t io n , Ne w Yo r k Cit y, a n d Looking South , c re a t e d fo r FT C I i n R o ckef eller Center. He is t h e B ro a d’s f o u n din g a r t is t - in - re s ide n c e , a nd ha s b e e n i n volv ed with the Institute s in c e 2 0 0 3 .

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Daniel Kohn, Red 1-9, 2009, oil on canvas, 9 panels, 30” x 30” each previous page: Daniel Kohn, DataSets [detail], ongoing, watercolor on paper, 8” x 8” each

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JONATHAN PRINCE

J o n a t h a n Pr i nc e ’s Wave Form c a pt u re s t he e ffe c t o f l i g h t o n w a t e r t h ro u g h h is me t ic u lo usl y c r a ft e d and highly polished stainless steel forms. His s c u lpt u re s a re fl ui d a nd dynamic. The stunning s implic it y o f Wave Form belies the complex technologies employed in it s f a br ic a t i o n. I n t hi s s c u l p t u re , P r i n c e u t i l i z e s d a t a p ro v i de d b y t h e Na t io n a l Oc e a no g r a p hi c and Atmospheric Administratio n (NOAA ) a n d NASA, re u n it in g h im wit h t wo o r g a n iza t i o ns he ha d collabo rated with on t h e Hologlobe Project , a la r g e - s c a le a r t a n d t e c hno l o g y installatio n he create d f o r t h e Smit h s o n ia n In s t it u t io n .

W ithin Prince’s f ine a r t pr a c t ic e , t h e n e w Eli a n d Edyt h B ro a d A r t M use um at Michig an State Un ive r s it y re c e n t ly a c qu ire d h is wo r k , Vestigial Block . T he monumentally sized s c u l p t u re i s o n e o f t h re e c u r re n t l y o n d i s p l a y a s p a r t o f the museum’s Sc u lpt u re Ga rde n . In a ddit io n , Pr in c e ’s G2V, p a r t o f h i s Tor n Steel Series, wa s o n vie w a t Da g H a mma r s k jo ld Pla za in N e w Yo r k C i t y through April, 2013.

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Jonathan Prince, Wave Form, 2011, stainless steel, 42” x 30” x 50” previous page: Jonathan Prince, Vertical Teal Ingot, stainless and anodized steel, dimensions variable, commissioned work

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SHULI SADÉ

T h e t h e s i s o f S hul i S a d é ’s a r t wo r k is c o nc e r ne d w i t h t he intersection of memory and t i m e . A s s u c h , s h e re t u r n s to the same subject – the u r ba n s c a p e – d o c um e nt i ng a rc h i t e c t u re t h ro u g h b o t h s t i l l a n d v i d e o p h o t o g r a p h y.

The high contrast, highly p i x i l a t e d i m a g e s a re l a y e re d one over the other to blur a sense of fixed location o r pre c ise m e m o r y. I t i s in c u mbe n t o n v i e w e r s t o i nfe r t h ro u g h t he i r o w n m e m o r y a sense of time and place.

S a d é ’s diptych, positive an d neg ativ e imag ery, c o n f o u n ds f u r t h e r pre c is e de s c r ipt o r s ; w he re a re w e i n this landscape? Inte re s t in g ly, t h e la ye re d a bs t r a c t pa t t e r n s re a d a s b o t h i n teri o r and exterio r, a do c u me n t o f t h in g s pa s t o r a po r t e n d o f t hi ng s t o c o m e .

Following a two year collabo r a t i o n w i t h N e w Yo r k U n i v e r s i t y ’s n e w N e u ro b i o l o g y o f C o g n i t i o n L ab orato ry, Sadé’s Reconfiguring Memory s e r ie s wa s in s t a lle d a s a c e n t e r p i e c e o f t he n ne w l abor atory. Doubling as the f a c ilit y’s c o n f e re n c e t a ble , Reconfiguring Memory e xp re sse s t he i m por tance o f co llaboratio n a n d e x c h a n g e o f ide a s . Sa dé h a s s h o wn b o t h na t i o na l l y a nd i n ter nationally, with sho ws a t t h e Is r a e l Mu s e u m; t h e H a if a Mu s e u m, Is r a e l ; a nd T he M e a d M u s e um, Amherst. A nativ e o f J e r u s a le m, Is r a e l, Sh u li Sa dé live s a n d w o r k s i n N e w Yo r k , NY.

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left: Shuli Sade, Duree (Positive), 2008, digital print on duraclear, acrylic, 48” x 48” right: Shuli Sade, Duree (Negative), 2008, digital print on duraclear, acrylic, 48” x 48” previous page: Shuli Sade, Duree installation

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GEORGE SHERWOOD

George Sherwood applies h is e n g in e e r in g a c um e n t o t h e c h a lle n g e o f k i ne t i c s c u lpt u re . His o r g a ni c fo r m s, s h a p e d f ro m s t a i n l e s s s t e e l , a re f in e ly pit c h e d t o re sp o nd to the slightest movement o f a i r. T h e s t e e l b r i n g s a lu s t ro u s re f le c t iv i t y so t ha t light and wind act in concert.

It is a c h o re o g r a p hy b a se d o n inspiration and engineering.

As Sh e r wo o d e x p l a i ns, “E a c h sculpture is a three - dime n s io n a l pa in t in g o f s h if t in g lig h t , dr a w i ng a l l t he colors o f the env iro n me n t , pu llin g do wn t h e s k y, dr a win g u p t he e a r t h a nd g athering ev ery thing in be t we e n . It is t h e lig h t , a f t e r a ll, t h a t w e se e a nd process, not the phys ic a l o bje c t . �

Sherwood recently in s t a lle d a s ig n if ic a n t pu blic a r t pro je c t in Sa l t La k e C i t y, following the permen a n t i n s t a l l a t i o n a t t h e D a n a F a r b e r C a n c e r I n s t i t u t e i n B o ston, MA. His wor k h a s be e n o n vie w a t t h e Cu r r ie r Mu s e u m, N H ; We i sm a n Art Museum, Minnesot a ; a n d t h e R o s e K e n n e dy Gre e n wa y in B o s t o n . S he r w o o d liv es and works o n the c o a s t in Ma s s a c h u s e t t s .

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George Sherwood, Seismic Memory, 2012, stainless steel, 62” x 62” x 4” previous page: George Sherwood, Botanica, site based installation in Salt Lake City, Utah

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