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PRESS RELEASE
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We are delighted to be exhibiting the first United States solo show of artworks by Janice Vitkovsky, a minimalist glass artist from Australia. Vitkovsky states: “My work is centered on notions of perception, and I use glass to operate on a metaphorical level, to evoke an impression of impermanence within solid form and abstract landscapes.” Minimalist abstract tendencies have been present in contemporary Australian glass for some time. The austerity of much of their landscape is inescapable to many Australian artists. Dramatic monochrome emptiness dominates all but the coastal areas where 90% of the Australian population resides. The rich and lush coastal areas are a study in striking contrast to the grasslands and then the desert of the vast interior. Only the Sahara Desert is larger in area. Vitkovsky has chosen the path of exploring the presence of space through her simplified forms and reduced color. Her work of kiln formed murrini glass consists of tiny glass tiles that float and subtlety indicate movement deep within the glass. “By working with intricate, flowing patterns that depict motion, my work draws attention to the transitory nature of our changing perceptions upon experiences and visual data through the modern eye/experience. “By drawing inspiration from the natural and built environments, my patterns are based on frequencies, the ‘mapping’ we use to describe intangible.” Vitkovsky’s optically lush environments bring the viewer to a prolonged, intense and meditative encounter with the work. The viewer is rewarded for staying with the work and gazing deeply within the piece long enough to realize the complex undulating field that shifts as you walk past the work. Each artwork contains an austere elegance. There exists a rhythmic pulse that intensifies and recedes. “My work is concerned with perceptual experience... I like to work in the realm of the abstract as it relates to the intangible aspects of our experiences, the unseen but felt, describing the ephemeral quality of a thought or an emotion.” "CINQUE - RUBY" |
"IMPERMANENCE" Wall Mounted This work in our “Ephemeral Mapping” exhibit is an exploration into basic geometric forms; the square, triangle, pentagon and octagon. These shapes are repeated again and again in our environment, whether in something as mundane as street signs, advertising, or symbols of deeper historical significance. “I am intrigued by the inherent strength and simplicity of these forms, and the values attached to them within contemporary culture. What do they mean amongst an over stimulated, over saturated culture?” Vitkovsky is interested in how we reinterpret these forms/symbols within a modern context. By creating chromatic variations and rhythmic pulses within the repeated forms, Vitkovsky is able to suggest multiple perspectives. The process Vitkovsky uses in making her work is built from the historic Venetian Murrini technique. This is a process where intricate patterns are achieved by fusing layers of glass into an oblong or square shape and then stretching it numerous times, and effectively miniaturizing the original pattern. Vitkovsky states, “I start by working with a very simple line pattern and translating this into glass by cutting up sheet glass into a rectangular block. I heat this block in a kiln, pick it up and stretch the glass into a long even square cane. Once the glass has cooled down, I then re-bundle the square cane, and repeat the stretching process in order to create intricate flowing patterns.” The next step is to cut the murrini into appropriate lengths and place the glass into an open-face mould. The glass is placed in the kiln and brought up to a melting temperature where fusing takes place and the glass assumes the shape of the mold. The final step is the laborious task of hand grinding the surface to a smooth, soft hand finish. |
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