Ann Christopher. All the Cages Have Open Doors

About

New Sculptures and series of drawings inspired by the West Coast of Ireland will bring the exhibition up to the present.

Ann Christopher’s sculptures have a familiar yet mysterious presence. Much like ancient standing stones that signal lives lived and histories unknown, Christopher’s work is imbued with soul and humanity while remaining distinctly in the realm of the abstract and belonging to a visual language all of its own. Her artistic process is fuelled by an instinctual approach to making.

On first observation the sculptures seem to form organically in the studio through a series of formal decisions and aesthetic concerns. A basic shape is chosen and a template is constructed, often out of material as humble as cardboard. The shape is then built up using resin, giving depth and texture to the form before it is cast into Christopher’s metal of choice and further worked upon. Precise machine made linear incisions create a tension with delicate hand made surfaces. Integral to this process of making by instinct however is the stimulus and fascination Christopher draws upon from a broad range of visual sources. Among other things the artist takes inspiration from soaring skyscrapers and urban skylines as well as plant structures, animal skeletons and ancient artefacts.