“Movement, combined with a constant search for difference is a sin qua non for sight.”*
Like being caught out in a snow storm, a world of no contrast leaves our perception of possibility and experience drastically restricted, and as such, the potential for new understanding wanes.
During my residency in Iceland I created a series of optical illusions using the visual language of architecture and tapestry processes. They invite the viewer to consider how contrasting elements relate to one another. How they interact, shift and collaborate to form vibrant systems of momentum; an amalgamation of their individual paths.
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When you see the world in a stark light,
Either/or,
This/that,
You feel more sure of yourself,
Less prone to doubt,
But this world view can also be dangerous,
It can stop you from seeing,
A complicated world in all of its complexity.
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Clear cut black and white,
Simplicity,
A foundation of bold lines,
What happens when those lines are interrupted?
When the margins begin to move,
Your vision blurs,
And you feel unsteady on your feet,
What complex and brilliant world is this?
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The Reading List:
*Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto
Ikigai by Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
1984 by George Orwell
The Architecture of Happiness by Alian de Botton
Lost Connections by Johann Hari