Project Tag: #cubes

#temporaryart

(update 8/2)

I’ve taken an interest in the cubes as proxies for brushstrokes (they have 6 sides so each can be presented quite a few ways), and in stacking them as analogous to the way I create compositions. But perhaps more than anything, I’m intrigued by the idea that each installation of them could be a unique, here-then-gone experience, especially since the experiential element of art- the quality of viewing the same- is of the most interest to me in my practice.

By the way, if you want to participate in the “play” you can- click here!

Cube Selector

Welcome, those of you who have participated in the cube selector project (the name is a work in progress, just like the cubes…) and for those of you who haven’t, please participate.

9 cubes of all types with David on 05/20/20

 

15 yellow cubes with Michael on 5/21/20

6 varied red cubes with Jessica on 5/21/20

9 red cubes with Barbara Anne on 5/21/20

 

At this point in the project I realized a few modifications that needed to be made to the form, and that sometimes users could input values that on net I couldn’t deliver (in the example immediately above, I did not have any large cubes that were totally red, and was 1 cube shy of being able to “deliver” a composition using 10 cubes with some surfaces painted red).

13 red, brown and white cubes with Tim on 5/24/20

15 red, white, tan and brown cubes with Adriana on 5/27/20

12 red, white and tan cubes with Barb on 5/27/20

Cubes- mounting

So in addition to the most obvious ways the cubes could be mounted/displayed (either stacked on the floor or on a traditional pedestal, the latter being the art-world signifier of “sculpture) it has occurred to be that if the project of building a work from these cubes as a proxy for artist’s choice while painting, that they should have some relationship to the wall. To that end, here are a couple of the solutions I’ve devised- more to come.

“Painting” cubes with light

Some artists do a daily drawing or sketch (or even painting) so I’ve been exploring this processas a proxy for drawing or sketching.

IMG_9399

The conditions require some set-up, and I’m finding that there is a limitation to the amount of time that the cubes, once “charged,” will (re)emit enough light to result in a decent photo, so making the images requires me to react quickly to the results of how the blocks reveal the light, which isn’t always entirely known at the time I set them in position for prep. “Yes” I think there will be a medium-term play to display this work, for now it can serve as literally what it is- time to create images quickly, only a daily basis, that isn’t tethered to a need to create permanent art objects.

Beginnings- cubes with dimension

The way that I draw the (isometric) cubes in my paintings is similar to techniques used by designers when drafting a physical space- I even use red drafting pencil sometimes.

I have been thinking for a while that this modality I’ve adopted is a sort of “building” system; also, I and others have noted that the cubes in my drawings and paintings aren’t moored by gravity or beholden to a true light source. So, what if I began to explore those last two sets of limitations within an actual building system.

I’ve begun to make a set of cubes that range in size from 1″ to 6″ square. I’ve sort of begun to think of each of them as a proxy for brushstrokes… Anyway, they are growing in number and have taken on color.

I’ve tried out a few compositional ideas as well, focusing for now on the limitation of gravity.