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• Biography

About the Exhibition

Inspired by the evolving interpretation of ideas, Systems of Knowing investigates how information is translated, transformed and conveyed across time and space. The complex process of interpretation, through which civilizations and individuals alike make sense of information, is deeply rooted in a contextual belief structure. The shifting of such structures greatly impacts the resulting understanding of ideas and information. This series of installations investigates the interplay of information displayed through different frameworks.

Entering the gallery feels like navigating a subway map, with red lines crawling on the floor and walls, directing the viewer through the space. Upon closer inspection, the viewer notices that the red lines link a series of drawings with a sculpture displayed in close proximity. The large drawings, composed of multiple frames, hang on the wall and allude to complex, repetitive scientific or mathematical structures. The sculptures, each resting on a low, colorful plinth, vary in size, shape and color but all resemble skeletal porcupines, forms of airy construction and prickly fur.

Systems of Knowing consists of five installations, each composed of a set of drawings and a single sculpture. The precisely drawn works on paper are very mathematical in detail, depicting hundreds of varying sized circles composed in elaborate arrangements with many layers of graphite underneath the ink, resembling architectural drafting. The sculptures are all made of hundreds of various sized white plastic o-rings and thousands of zip ties. While the majority of zip ties are white, a few sculptures contain different colors to accent their forms. The zip ties act as a barrier to the o-rings creating an additional, organic layer of visual complexity. Each set of drawings is a diagram of its related sculpture, representing the pattern of the o-rings. Neither the drawing nor the sculpture is the beginning, but rather the two are both equal representations of the same information displayed in different frameworks. Surprisingly, the information manifests very differently: The drawings are very mechanical and rigid while the sculptures feel softer and more natural. The zip ties also add layer of chaos upon the highly organized o-rings, increasing the visual complexity and distorting one’s perception of both.

Each installation presents an opportunity for the viewer to discover how the drawings and sculpture are related, allowing him/her to investigate one form of translation of information. Systems of Knowing alludes to the many bits of knowledge, information and beliefs that have transitioned from their point of origin into completely different fields. For example, the modern school calendar developed out of an agricultural mindset where children were likened to the land, believing that over-working would create decay. This series of work emphasizes the disconnect that arises when information migrates into a new context, highlighting the need for deep investigations in order to make sense of the world we live in. – R. Justin Stewart, 2009