>>PREVIEW
MARIE LANNOO: SEE NOTHING, SEE EVERYTHING
Runs until January 13
Art Gallery of Calgary
"Some of the first reactions were, ‘Where is the work?’ Where is the painting?’" says Art Gallery of Calgary chief curator, Alexandra Keim. "People are not accustomed to taking the time to pause and then letting themselves see the artwork. Then something magical happens."
Keim is describing the initial impressions people have of the Art Gallery of Calgary’s newest solo show, See Nothing, See Everything, an installation by Marie Lannoo. At first glance, it’s merely a series of beams attached to white walls at eye level, painted in acrylic, rather monochromatic and… well, boring. Then you wait and realize that there actually is a painting on the walls, but not the way you would normally see one. On the top of each of the beams, a series of boxes are painted in bright primary colours. The overhead lighting reflects the colours above the beams and the viewer sees a series of blocks of colours in rows along the space the installation occupies. It is in the act of finding and then searching, as Jean Cocteau once said, where one finds the space that can describe Lannoo’s art.
"At first, we thought it was a high-tech installation," says Keim. "When we were assembling the installation, we thought, ‘Oh this is a series of light boxes, how do you plug these things in?’ Then we realized just what the piece involved, and I think of the art as very magical. In order for people to truly see (Lannoo’s) work, they have to pause, which in our rushed world happens rarely. Here you actually have to stop and look before you get it and I really like it, that element of playing with time."
At first glance, the exhibition seems to be a hyper-stylized, sterile high-tech study in geometry and acrylic. The viewer is looking for light boxes and electricity. The impression of machines and absolute perfection gives way under scrutiny. The beams are hand painted, with deliberate brush lines visible to the naked eye, there is no electricity, no light boxes, just light. The mere presence of colour is the sum total of the work – it is simple, childlike in that one moment of comprehension. It is something that is best observed with others, to share their impressions of what they are looking at, to teach each other what they are seeing.
In order to achieve this effect, however, Lannoo’s installation relies entirely on lighting for the subtlety of piece. "It took a long time to get the lighting in the space just right," says Keim. "The technician and I spent two hours on Monday for the opening on Wednesday, then on Tuesday, we spent another three hours getting the light, the angles and everything just right. It was definitely a challenge, but it worked out well and the artist was really happy with the results."
Because of the subtlety of the installation, it depends entirely on reflected light. It is impossible to capture in black and white photography and is a nightmare to photograph at all. It is a strange blend of the interplay of light, colour and science, yet very low-tech, handcrafted and subtle.
"I suggest to everyone to not rush, to take the time to discover the piece," says Keim. "It is in the act of seeing and finding that the installation comes together." |
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