Word: ward
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...want to ponder the wonders of the universe while simultaneously experiencing the processes of art, you should visit David Ward's exhibition, "Keepers of Light" at the Sackler Museum. The show examines the foundations of light, and more importantly, human involvement as an integral agent in the creation and perception of this phenomenon. Ward suggests that light is a mystical, or even spiritual, entity that evokes the haunting beauty of life...
...first work of the exhibition, a black and white photograph titled Illuminated Man (1986), Ward emphasizes the brilliance of light. A casually dressed man is adorned in a network of glowing lights, like a tree during the winter holidays. The background is pure black; the contrast in light and dark adds more whiteness and purity to the light, and thus more radiance. Yet it is difficult to overlook the man who carries this light. He stands in a relaxed position, head bent downward as if contemplating his costume of lights. His head directs attention towards the ground where the wires...
...Ward further explores the relationship between light and man in the next work, The Rev. Robert walker, Skating (1993). However, this time, he expands the scope of the work to involve the viewer--the physical, real human--rather than simply providing a static image of human interaction seen in the first work. The image is projected on a white wall at the entrance to the gallery. By opening the doors and letting in light, we momentarily disrupt the picture. Ivan Gaskell best describes the scenario in the exhibition's catalogue, "[W]e are playing our part as performers as well...
...viewer's entrance into the gallery hypothetically provides the necessary light to convert this negative image into a "real" image- ("real" meaning a work of realism and representation). Ward challenges the viewer's perception and vision through this work by providing an alternative, yet similar view of the world. The Rev. Robert walker skates on black ice on a dark day. His attire is pure white, not the traditional dark suit of a reverend. And his face is as dark as the background, distinguishable because of the small traces of white that outline the contour of his profile...
...Keepers of light, No. 7 (1987-93), Ward takes a bold step, in the tradition of the minimalists, by expanding the canvas, or more precisely, the field of vision which encompasses the relationship between the viewer and the surrounding space. Black dots on white paper span the gallery. It is not by accident that these dots are not all shaped the same way: some have softer edges, others are smaller and tighter. The differences in circles create an ambiguity of depth. Are these black dots beams of light penetrating a white "void" or are they hovering objects in space...