Luke Diiorio's solo exhibition High Earth very small and had a well-constructed installation around paintings. The installation was made of plywood, and the paintings are leaning and hanging very casually against the background. I thought the installation itself was a feature of the gallery, but it was a part of the artist's show. The entire atmosphere was very familiar since it was like a construction site. The viewers had to walk on the floor that was a little unstable and could see an empty space between the wood walls. The paintings were big, colorful and minimal. They had many large vertical brush marks on white backgrounds. The canvas was made of the several vertical smaller stripes that were sewn together and then stretched. I assume that the artist painted on the sewed stretched canvas. As I read the press release in the gallery, it said the paintings are abstract landscapes. I would never know otherwise. But the paintings themselves were interesting in that the colors were vivid which contrasted to the wood walls and floors. Because of the sewn quality, the paintings looked like objects. I loved the confusion: from because it seems like 2D paintings at a glance, but by it was like an object because of inevitable uneven texture by seaming.
One thing I was disappointed by is that the artist considered the whole space as one artwork because the paintings and installation seem overwhelmed. Even though the paintings have a lot of interesting details but it was hard to focus and appreciate because of too many things I have to see in the installation. It was enjoyable to experience the construction, but I think it would be better to have fewer details for the installation such as the gap between the walls and make viewers to see more of paintings.
I think for understanding the artwork deeply, it is necessary to consider how the works related to space as a point of install. So, it was pretty impressive for me that you mentioned not only part of the work itself but also how the pieces are installed and how it related to each of the works. Moreover, I agree with your point that because too many things are going around the paintings, and it is difficult to focus on each of the pieces. Even though each of Luke Diiorio's paintings has its strong power and fabulous moment on active monochromatic brushstrokes on sewing canvas, complicated space around paintings interrupts to focus on painting itself.
ReplyDeleteI think Luke Diiorio is trying to push the boundary of minimalist. In this collection, he says, "there are many components in each of paintings". One of the reasons, he put the paintings on the plywood is he wants his paintings to read as a kinds of texture or fabric rather painting itself. He is exploring the materiality and different possibility of minimalist and art rather than just making everything on 2D.
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