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23/9/2011

Andy Coolquitt, Agnes Denes, Robert Smithson

Lisa Cooley, New York

Like energy, entropy is in the first instance a measure of something that happens when one state is transformed into another. – P.W. Bridgman, The Nature of Thermodynamics

Lisa Cooley is very pleased to present an exhibition of works by Andy Coolquitt, Agnes Denes, and Robert Smithson. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 24 from 6 to 8 pm, and the exhibition continues through November 6.
The three artists in the exhibition are united by an interest in energy in all its forms. Robert Smithson's work evolves from an interest in entropy - the degradation or disorganization of a closed system in which energy and matter ultimately decline. Andy Coolquitt counters Smithson, engaging energy directly, channeling it upward into his vertical sculptures made of found lighters and conjoined metal pipes, and creating works which double as centers of connectivity. Agnes Denes’ exquisite works on paper operate somewhere between Smithson and Coolquitt as they examine systems based in theories of probability with an openness that is suffused with possibilities.

Robert Smithson is represented in the exhibition with a drawing of his iconic work, Spiral Jetty, an entropic earthwork in the Great Salt Lake in Utah that is comprised of 1,500 feet of black basalt rocks, earth, and mud. Smithson's interest in the second law of thermodynamics reveals entropy as moving from a state of order to disorder, in the course of which matter inexorably loses energy. In time, the repeated process of submergence and re-emergence will ultimately lead to the erosion of Spiral Jetty and the work will cease to exist. For Smithson, the notion of closed systems is such that they inevitably produce patterns, which are subject to repeat over time until the original form is obliterated.

The work of Agnes Denes views systems as opportunities to create new forms. As she stated in 1986 “The universe contains systems, systems contain patterns. The purpose of the mind is to locate these patterns and to seek the inherent potential for new systems of thought and behavior.”[1] In the Map Projections series, Denes meticulously hand draws our planet in a number of shapes, precisely mapping the longitudinal and latitudinal location. Intent on exploring the sculptural possibilities of celestial space, the Map Projections use mathematical theories to ground geometric renderings of our planet. Working within this system, Denes elaborates her own understanding of entropy as one in which "objects become processes and forms are patterns in motion. Matter is a form of energy and our own human substance is but spinning velocity."[2]

A volumetric concern permeates Denes’ work, along with a sustained consideration of the transformation of space. The Pyramid series adopts an abstract mathematical theory inspired by Pascal’s Probability Theorem and explores the sculptural possibilities of this ancient three-dimensional object in space. A group of works from The Pyramid Suite embodies the artist’s elastic view of sculptural form. These unique lithographs are hand dusted with metallic powder using a specific process developed by Denes in 1974. The resulting forms are fluid pyramid shapes that twist and bend into avian forms and seem to move on the page as the viewer circles the work. The metallic dust imbues a three dimensionality into the work, imparting a vital, sculptural presence to the otherwise flat surfaces. The color of the shimmering metallic dust subtly changes when viewed from different angles, enlisting the viewer in the activation of the work.

Andy Coolquitt’s sculptures similarly engage the viewer through connectivity and interaction. A Soft Striped Place features two cushion-like sculptures mounted in a corner side by side. Coolquitt intends for the viewer and a friend (or foe) to lean up against them, creating a “soft striped place” to facilitate conversation. Similarly the light bulbs at each end of the sculpture liv wildz connect viewers to each other. As the light from the sculpture occupies a modest, nearby radius, it envelops and connects its viewers, creating a shared experience.

Coolquitt’s sculptures also transform abandoned objects into metaphors for energy. The act of collecting permeates the artist’s process as he scavenges the streets looking for objects to transmogrify. Rosemont Towers features a stack of discarded lighters that were found in vacated crack dens, an activity Coolquitt has been practicing for a number of years. The search for these “transportable energy packs” leads him through a psychogeographical dérive in each city he finds himself (the title of this work is a nod to the city of Baltimore.) Coolquitt resurrects these lighters, creating a tower that not only references these ad-hoc meeting places, but also utilizes the lighter as a leitmotif of energy and alludes to a human form. Coolquitt’s works frequently reference the body, as they casually lean against the wall or confront the viewer in space. With the use of an architecturally-referenced plinth and mounting bracket, Rosemont Towers is elevated into the arena of display, a construct that questions these contextual relationships.

All three artists works are formally united by an interest in the geometry inherent in their given forms. Smithson’s Spiral Jetty coils out into space as Dene’s gridded pyramids leap and jump off the page. Systemically stacked, Coolquitt’s lighter sticks and segmented pipes present a repetitive geometry of detritus at its best.

[1] Denes, Agnes. Lecture at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, 1976. From the anthology SYMMETRY- Unifying Human Understanding, Published by Pergamon Press, 1986. © 1986 Agnes Denes.
[2] Denes, Agnes. “Isometric Systems in Isotropic Space—Map Projections 1973-79.” New York, NY: n.p., 1976. © 1976 Agnes Denes.

Image: Andy Coolquitt, Rosemont Towers, 2011, Found lighters, acrylic, metal, wood, 15.5 x 15.5 x 88 inches, Inv# AC190

Lisa Cooley
34 Orchard Street -NY
Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 6 pm
Free admission

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