'Space and Matter'

About

From June 1st - 11th, SomoS presents “Space & Matter,” a solo exhibition by Canadian visual artist Atticus Gordon (b. 1995). The show displays a series of mixed media artworks exploring familiar yet uncanny scenes, functioning together as a complete installation. All works were created during his 3-month residency at SomoS Arts Berlin in 2020. 

The “Expanded Painting” concept of “Space & Matter” merges paintings into sculptural installations, initiating spatial conversations across different art forms. Exploration and experimentation are important to the artist’s work process, keeping a playful and inquisitive air. Blending unconventional materials with more traditional elements and techniques, Gordon’s work is set to cross boundaries, generating inviting imaginative experiences for visitors. 

For Gordon, expanding the matter of painting also involves the space of the digital realm. As Maela Ohana, director of Archive Contemporary gallery in Montreal observes, 

“Atticus Gordon’s work ties representational painting with digital processes. His paintings are based on iPhone photography, ranging from images of the mundane to candid photos of friends. His creative process has progressively evolved into a style that reflects the fractured immediacy of digital information and images. He is building a language of layering and graphic simplification that simultaneously references how imagery is stored through digital media and in human memory.” 

Atticus Gordon’s solo show at SomoS is an invitation to dive into an alluring imaginary world, where painterly, sculptural, and digital spaces merge together. 

Realized with the kind support of the Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario (OAC) and the City of Ottawa.