From ArtSee. Email contact[AT]artseedc.com and follow ArtSee @ArtSeeinDC on Twitter.
A piece in the “LUX” exhibition. (Courtesy Hillyer Art Space)
In the corner of the Members’ Gallery at Hillyer Art Space, an illuminated geometric structure made of polystyrene, radiates glowing white light.
Luminescence pulses with the vibrancy of life and extends into the viewer’s immediate space, inviting the plastic work’s human counterpart to reveal elements of his inner soul, to expose what is typically hidden under his hard and restrictive shell.
Hsin-Hsi Chen’s new series, “LUX,” explores the optical and cognitive effects of light and shadow when juxtaposed with illusionary or surreal light. Her study successfully elicits questions of fact versus fiction and confronts the opposing duo’s interplay within everyday life.
Just as it is at times perplexing to distinguish the corporeal shadows made by paper folds from the phantom darkness developed by diligent pencil shading, it is often difficult, sometimes confusing or impossible, to separate authenticity from fraud.
In “LUX,” pencil drawings, paper and wood objects, and a polystyrene structure engage in dialogue with one another, creating a visual progression marking Chen’s artistic process — from two to three-dimensions — as well as posing intriguing questions concerning illusionary and real space in everyday life.
Details
- “LUX” is on display at Hillyer Art Space until April 30, 2013.
- Tuesday through Friday, noon to 6 pm; and Monday and Saturday, noon to 5 pm; closed Sunday.
- 9 Hillyer Court NW.
Bringing the Art in DC to You – Roxanne Goldberg
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