9 minute read
Chris Wood
Chris Wood
BY KATE ZALIZNOCK
CHRIS WOOD USES LIGHT AS MEDIUM TO
CREATE PATTERNED PIECES THAT SYMBIOTICALLY
WORK WITH THE SURROUNDING SPACE. WOOD
DESCRIBES HER WORK AS BRINGING A “WISTFUL
ROMANTICISM TO A MINIMALIST AESTHETIC,”
ACHIEVED THROUGH COLORFUL WARMTH AND
CLEAN LINES. SHE EXECUTES HER INSTALLATIONS
WITH MATHEMATICAL PRECISION; BY MAPPING
OUT THE EXACT ROTATION OF THE SUN AROUND
A GIVEN PINPOINT, WOOD IS ABLE TO PLACE
HER PIECES WHERE THEY WILL BEST INTERACT
WITH NATURAL LIGHT YEAR-ROUND. WE SAT
DOWN WITH THE ARTIST TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
HER PROCESS, GAIN INSIGHT INTO LIFE AS A
WHAT EMOTIONS DO YOU AIM TO INSPIRE WITH YOUR WORK? I don’t know if I would describe them as emotions, but I want people to be engaged, surprised, calmed, intrigued, delighted; all these things and more. Most of all I want them to go away with a new experience of light; to start thinking about the light that’s around them all the time and simply look. I aim to bring the everyday magic of light to people’s attention.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN PROCESS? HOW DO YOU MAP OUT THE BEST LOCATION FOR A PIECE TO INTERACT WITH NATURAL LIGHT? When I am making work for a specific building, my starting point is to gain a deeper understanding of the space and how the light plays within it. I do this through model-making, mainly digital, sometimes physical. With the digital models I can place it in its exact geolocation and examine how the light enters the building at different times of the day and year. If I need to understand how to further manipulate the light, I then need to produce physical models and play with real materials at scale. The work I create exploits the aesthetic opportunities that the light in the space presents.
YOU’VE SAID THAT THE USE OF PATTERNS IN ISLAMIC ART HAS BEEN A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON YOUR WORK. WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER YOUR PASSION FOR THIS AESTHETIC AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PIECES IN THIS STYLE? I became interested in pattern when I was studying; I used simple repeated reflective forms to break up linear patterns and bounce light. I was challenged to think about pattern in a way to manipulate light. When I was invited to exhibit in a show called Pattern Crazy for the crafts council. I began to understand why the use of pattern was so important to me. Pattern, for me, is repetition, order, structure—a means of containment and paring back. My designs are contained within a mathematical formula inside a
white square or rectangle. The designs are minimal in form, this allows the complexity of the light to be revealed.
I started to look at Islamic pattern about 10 years ago. I took myself off on a course to gain a better understanding about how Islamic pattern is created. It was fantastic, but I didn’t really do much with it at the time as it was so time consuming and complex. It wasn’t until I was invited to show at the Islamic Arts Festival that I began designing on the computer using Sketch Up. This software enabled me to create my arrangements effortlessly and provided me the tools to play more with pattern itself. I didn’t need to be so precious; I could produce accurate, very complex patterns relatively easily once I got the hang of the program. This meant I could be much more playful in my approach to making patterns and that shows in my more recent wall panel designs.
THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF NATURAL LIGHT ON BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL AILMENTS IS WELL DOCUMENTED. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CONNECTION YOU MAKE BETWEEN LIGHT AS A HEALING MEDIUM AND PATTERNED DESIGN? My work has had incredibly positive responses specifically in healthcare environments as it draws people in. The works interact with the audience because they are optically kinetic and echo the environment in which they are situated. The artworks I create engage the audience to enquire how it’s happening; questioning where this color is coming from and why it’s having these effects. This serves such a positive function in a healthcare environment.
Of course, it’s universally known that both light and color have positive benefits to people’s health, coining the term “It’s just what the doctor ordered” when it’s a sunny day— probably more common in England.
I think an artwork that exploits the light in an aesthetic way can’t fail to have a positive impact.
IF YOU COULD INSTALL A PIECE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHY? I think I’d say some place really ambitious like the North Pole. The North Pole is all about light, and the white surroundings supply an incredible canvas that has the potential to manifest color so fantastically. I quite enjoy talking about color because actually color is not the focus to my work. Color is an outcome, a byproduct and a manifestation of the light. That’s why it would be so spectacular in an environment like the North Pole. To play with dichroic amongst all that whiteness. To create color with no color at all.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE EMERGING ARTISTS? There are some incredible light artists emerging right now. Instagram is a fantastic source of talent from around the world, and I love exploring it. In particular 88888 (duo Karel Burssens and Jeroen Verrecht), as well as Massimiliano Moro’s work plays with light in a beautiful minimalistic way. I also have to drop in James Turrell and Olafur Eliasson, who constantly amaze me with their work.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY IN THE STUDIO LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? There isn’t a typical day in the studio really, every day is different. But it starts with a cup of tea—well, several cups of tea. I’ll sit in front of my computer and think about what the heck I have to do. Meetings, planning documents, instructing production staff… My ideal day would be when I get to work solely on an installation. Making models, playing with lights, material and optical objects. Being in the studio separates me from home and I have everything at my fingertips to play and develop work. I also love being around other people to chat and have a laugh with; it’s just such a lovely place to be. I am quite torn sometimes because I do love working from home, sat by my lovely big window overlooking the river in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
YOU HAVE AN ACCOMPLISHED BACKGROUND IN FURNITURE DESIGN THAT PRECEDES YOUR CURRENT WORK; ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEDIUMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE IN THE FUTURE? Lighting, something I have always wanted to develop in my practice. I would also like to play with plants, integrating my work in planting schemes and sculptural pieces to go in planted areas and gardens.
WHAT IMPORTANCE WOULD YOU PLACE ON FORMAL EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING A CREATIVE FOUNDATION? Massive... It’s of a massive importance, it is the foundation. If you have a good education in art, if you are taught how to take an idea for a walk and develop it from the very initial stages to a finish product, embracing mistakes and simply learning how to play, you have the potential to create something exciting, different and fully-formed. Art is a journey,
Titles of Artwork & Photo Credits In order of appearance:
Circle C 800mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod
Circle B (detail) 800mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod
Circle 1 600mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod
Crikey O’Reilly Set 200mm square (each) Photo- Lilli Mathod
Clematis 800mm Square Photo- CWL team
Irdieden Various Sizes Photo- CWL team
Kahlia 1270mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod
Murmur (detail) Exhibition view 2400mm x 1300mm Photo-Harry Livingstone
Murmur (studio) 2400mm x 1300mm Photo- Lilli Mathod
a development, and to have this initial foundation I believe is crucial. Playing is the most important thing. That’s probably the reason for my extremely messy studio… I see materials and objects around me as I tidy and start playing... It’s forever a mess. My furniture design course was fantastic because the week’s schedule was split into a day of related studies, two days’ work in your chosen area (i.e. metal work, furniture design or ceramics), and the other two days were about visual research. We called it “personal work.” There was no brief; you just had to go away and find who you were as an artist. I think that is what made our course so special—those two days to just purely discover.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO STRUGGLING ARTISTS? Take up as many opportunities as you can to get your work out there because no one is going to see it in your studio or bedroom. You need it to be seen. Take part in exhibitions, residences and seek out experiences and projects that take you out of your comfort zone, because that will help you develop, move on and think... Keep thinking. Have an online presence, and get your work onto all of the websites that promote artists. Always be professional. It’s very, very hard when you first start. To be honest, it’s a lifelong struggle. You take on a lot as an artist that isn’t solely about developing work—it’s a business, so take opportuniti es to learn… Learn about the art industry, collaborate and involve others in different fields. And finally persevere. I feel so lucky to do what I love every day. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
www.chriswoodlight.art | www.instagram.com/chriswoodlight
