Light and Space

Light and arrangement of form alter our perspective and sense of space in two concurrent exhibitions at Turner Galleries.

Consuelo Cavaniglia and Brendan Van Hek are two Perth-raised artists with independent art practices, both now based in Sydney. In a homecoming showcase, Perth’s Turner Galleries presents their works in solo exhibitions displayed alongside one another. Starkly different upon first sight, here the parallels between the two bodies of work simmer to the fore.

Cavaniglia presents Between Time, an exhibition of new works exploring light reflections and visual illusions that unsettle and confuse our perception of space. Two-dimensional works and sculptural forms are made with transparent and reflective materials. The use of muted greys and blues speaks of the light that falls through windows in the night, into a darkened room. Subtle angles create reflections, though not where expected: our own image may appear in the surface next to us rather than the one we are facing. Caught in these reflections, the viewer becomes part of the work.

Absorbing and refracting light, Cavaniglia’s works create cavities of shadow, and emphasize absence between spaces. Whereas Van Hek’s works in The Continual Condition present forms emitting light, paired with objects that allow this light to bounce from their surfaces.

Exploring form and the boundaries of disparate elements, Van Hek’s works are made with neon lights, furniture and glass objects. Bringing together these contrary parts, the artist creates precarious minimalist arrangements. The interaction between the elements is key; striving for balance, elements uphold and sustain one another. The multicolored glow of the neon light-tubes creates reflections in the furniture surfaces that might otherwise appear flat, the light bringing out a glossy quality which accentuates form and amplifies its occupation of space.

Van Hek’s exhibition runs concurrently with a month-long residency at North Metropolitan TAFE, through which the artist will re-connect with the Perth art community during a series of talks. Van Hek graduated from Curtin University with Honors in 2001. He has exhibited in nationally significant exhibitions and his works are represented in collections such as the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Artbank, Westpac, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery and Holmes á Court.

Cavaniglia graduated from Curtin University with Honors in 2002 and was subsequently invited to exhibit works at the prestigious Hatched National Graduate Show at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art. Her works are represented in collections including the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Westfarmers Arts and Murdoch University.

EXHIBITIONS
Consuelo Cavaniglia Between Time
Brendan Van Hek The Continual Condition
23 June – 22 July 2017
Turner Galleries, Perth

Courtesy the artists and Turner Galleries, Perth.