Matt Bilfield: Geometricize
Black Book Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new mixed-media works by Matt Bilfield. Entitled Geometricize, this exhibition continues Bilfield鈥檚 explorations into geometric patterns, structure, perspective and color. Sculptural in form, yet atmospheric in effect, these works employ mathematical precision to achieve visual complexity and emotional depth. Each work is comprised of thousands of 2-inch wooden dowels, which the artist painstakingly arranges to construct his compositions. Every dowel is individually placed with numerous vantage points in mind. As the viewer moves, the work is 鈥渁ctivated鈥� and the once predictable pattern suddenly begins to blend into a mix of colors and optical illusions. What was once static becomes kinetic.
Drawing from artistic movements such as pointillism, as well as more contemporary formats like the pixels of computer graphics, Bilfield describes his process as a synthesis of minimalism and density. 鈥淚 enjoy the challenge of getting the most functional and aesthetic impact out of design simplicity,鈥� he states. 鈥淭he dowel holes are drilled using a CNC machine where the spacing of each ring of holes is meticulously calculated and programmed using pi and the ring circumference. The pieces with gradations use a custom density algorithm to dictate how many dowels are required to create seamless transitions of color while respecting the confines of a set number of holes. The larger works utilize over 5,000 dowels to create an ombre effect that allows the viewer to experience the color transition. Visually, I鈥檓 deciding where I want colors to start and stop and how I want to saturate them relative to other colors; but, mathematically, I鈥檓 calculating how to make that vision possible.鈥� The title of each work reveals its exact number of dowels.
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Black Book Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new mixed-media works by Matt Bilfield. Entitled Geometricize, this exhibition continues Bilfield鈥檚 explorations into geometric patterns, structure, perspective and color. Sculptural in form, yet atmospheric in effect, these works employ mathematical precision to achieve visual complexity and emotional depth. Each work is comprised of thousands of 2-inch wooden dowels, which the artist painstakingly arranges to construct his compositions. Every dowel is individually placed with numerous vantage points in mind. As the viewer moves, the work is 鈥渁ctivated鈥� and the once predictable pattern suddenly begins to blend into a mix of colors and optical illusions. What was once static becomes kinetic.
Drawing from artistic movements such as pointillism, as well as more contemporary formats like the pixels of computer graphics, Bilfield describes his process as a synthesis of minimalism and density. 鈥淚 enjoy the challenge of getting the most functional and aesthetic impact out of design simplicity,鈥� he states. 鈥淭he dowel holes are drilled using a CNC machine where the spacing of each ring of holes is meticulously calculated and programmed using pi and the ring circumference. The pieces with gradations use a custom density algorithm to dictate how many dowels are required to create seamless transitions of color while respecting the confines of a set number of holes. The larger works utilize over 5,000 dowels to create an ombre effect that allows the viewer to experience the color transition. Visually, I鈥檓 deciding where I want colors to start and stop and how I want to saturate them relative to other colors; but, mathematically, I鈥檓 calculating how to make that vision possible.鈥� The title of each work reveals its exact number of dowels.
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