Timothy Thompson | Gathering Space
Hamiltonian Gallery is pleased to present Gathering Space, an exhibition by Hamiltonian fellow Timothy Thompson. The exhibition will run from March 30 - May 4, 2013. Please join us for an opening reception on Saturday, April 6 from 7 - 9 pm and an artist talk on Tuesday, April 16 at 7 pm.
Timothy Thompson broadens his exploration on the perception of place in Gathering Space, a site-specific installation that intersects Hamiltonian's 1,800 square foot gallery. Abandoning his usual sculptural materials such as iron and wood for hand-sewn nylon fabric and fiberglass rods, Thompson creates sculptures that act as both conduits through the gallery and formidable monumental barriers. As they move amongst the sculptures, viewers are asked to reconsider how they navigate and perceive a physical space.
Artist Statement
The aspect that I most enjoy about being a sculptor is the freedom to pursue and explore the things that I encounter in my life. Things like infrastructure and the overlooked objects of our everyday labor have been fruitful ground for me to explore as a sculptor. As I have tried to translate my interest in these areas into sculptural responses, I’m frequently led back to two core sculptural concerns: space and the way we encounter space. When I’m making sculpture these are the only things that really matter; the public intervention, the intersectionality, the relational or the alter-modern are just starting points that lead to the same place.
When I’m standing in my studio looking at a work in progress, the things that got me to this point frequently fade away. I’m left with the physical object I’ve created, me, and the space. It’s the relationship between these things that determines the success of the work. I find myself asking, “How does the physical presence of this object that I’ve created transform my experience with this (or its proposed) space?” and, “How much does the physical object gather outside of its own physical boundaries?” If the answer is very little, I’ve probably failed.
The question, “How much does the physical object gather outside of its own physical boundaries?” really fascinates me. Conceptually it’s a pretty easy game to gather an enormous amount of space with an enormous sculpture. This is where the art school notion of “make it bigger” probably springs from. But where this falls short for me is that making it bigger is just a 1:1 ratio. The work that interests me and the work I dream about making are pieces that achieve a larger ratio of physical presence to gathered space.
click here to download a copy of the press release
March 30 – May 4, 2013
Opening Reception:
Saturday, April 6
7-9pm
Hamiltonian Artists:
Timothy Thompson