Order and chaos are classic themes, always doing battle.
The Covid 19 pandemic mocked our order and gave us more chaos than most of us have ever experienced - a worldwide health crisis, confused leadership, massive economic uncertainty, home confinement, and isolation.
This series is a reflection on the pandemic and the anxiety and nervousness I felt during my “new normal.”
The bars and crosses are iconographic stand-ins for certainty, familiarity and comfort. They are stable with well-defined defined edges and boundaries against the exaggerated movement of the backdrop.
The crosses are red and look hot against the cool white/gray/black shading of the background, reflecting heat from the friction of the battle between order and chaos. It isn’t clear whether the crosses are redemptive or causal or whether they have been ejected from the chaos or have rejected any engagement.
I used the ROYGBV colors on the suite of the 6 square pieces because we learn about ROYGBV as kids with crayons, and the recipes for creating colors is knowable and repeatable. The color of each bar also leaks and drips (and eventually disappears?) into the background.
The sculpture is executed in a manner similar to the backdrops. Whether it blends in or stands out (i.e., a fighter or a conspirator) depends on the perspective of the viewer (here standing in for the historian).