RECURSIONS: Interactive Light Sculpture by Matt and Brendan Arnold

About

MERCER CHANCE GALLERY is proud to present RECURSIONS, a collaboration between brothers Matthew Roy Arnold (sculpture) and Brendan James Arnold (electronics). 

This intriguing installation invites the viewer to enter an interactive space in which our perception of reality is teasingly undermined; where we are confronted by pieces which allude to the infinite landscapes of mathematics and virtual reality within a physical form. Each artwork is a focal point for meditation on the real and the virtual, whilst serving as an example of how digital technology can be used to build upon traditional sculptural practice.

In a world of cloning, 3D printing and virtual reality, mankind is approaching the fulfilment of its ancient desire to attain the power of creation; to rival and even overcome the Gods which we have feared for so long. However, the greater our power over nature grows, perhaps the more apparent our flaws become. Our mastery of technology has progressed at astonishing speed, yet has our philosophical and spiritual understanding of reality undergone the same transformative advancement? 

In these works we are presented with groups of repeating rock-like objects, arranged in seemingly ritualistic fashion, resembling the astronomical and religious stone structures of our early ancestors suddenly exposed to the harsh, artificial light of the 21st Century. Some appear to be natural, found objects, while others are geometrically carved to reveal some kind of inner Platonic form. The ‘real’ rock is juxtaposed with its abstracted self – but which strikes us more forcibly with an authentic presence?

On closer inspection a wide variety of materials become apparent: plaster, glass, silicone, organic matter, resin, wood, metal and stone. As we approach the works our proximity is measured by in-built sensors, which cause the piece to alter before our eyes: LEDs shift from visible light to Ultra-Violet light, revealing hidden patterns on the previously austere faces of the rocks. 

Each artwork is constructed so that its robotic innards are openly visible: circuit boards are drawn and printed in intricate patterns, plugs and wire are transparent and the metal framework forms part of the electrical circuit. In this manner, the boundary between the functional and the aesthetic is dissolved. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Matthew Roy Arnold

Matthew was born and raised in Cleethorpes, UK and moved to Bristol in 2003 to study Fine Art at U.W.E.  After graduation he worked in the television industry as a prop maker to support his practice before becoming a full-time artist in 2011. He works from BV Studios in Bristol. 

http://www.matthewroyarnold.co.uk

matthewroyarnold@gmail.com

Brendan James Arnold

After completing his masters studies at Trinity College, Dublin, Brendan graduated with a doctorate in physics in 2012 from the University of Bristol. He has since applied laboratory techniques to solo robotics and digital projects such as the Living Compass and Daedalus. Particular interests in his practice are human-robot interactions, and the application of the artistic method to research and product development for the betterment of society. 

http://brendan.sdf-eu.org/

brendanarnold@gmail.com 

Public Opening (free event, all welcome): Thursday 18th June 7 -10pm

Late Opening: Friday 19th June 11am-9pm

SPECIAL EVENT:  ARTIST TALK

Sunday 28th June 3:00 - 4:30pm

Free, RSVP to: info@mercerchance.co.uk

Exhibition continues until Sunday 28th June. 

Gallery Opening Hours:

11am-6pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Monday to Friday by appointment only, please call Rachel on 07715816779