Commission
William Dennisuk
Hidden Variables II: Shadows on the Wall
This exhibition is part of an on-going series of sculptural installations titled, “Hidden Variables”. In this series I examine concepts that have common roots in philosophy, physics, psychology and art. Although the title, “Hidden Variables” is derived from the language of physics, it is not the intention of my explorations to illustrate a specific scientific concept. Instead my aim is to put the title to more evocative, or lyrical use, as a catalyst for exploring the aesthetic implications of certain fundamental theories.
The theme of this exhibition, Hidden Variables II: Shadows on the Wall, revolves around epistemological questions; simply stated, how do we know what we know? In particular I am interested in the link between perception and conception; and how these two faculties interact to form our image of the world. My work suggests that there is a difference between appearance and reality; that we rarely see the world as it is. In this respect my work raises questions concerning the status of the object as a self-sufficient and isolated presence. In this exhibition I attempt to show that clearly defined borders are partly an illusion; edges break down and the object reveals itself to be part of an extended interconnected world.
In dealing with these concepts I am reminded of Plato’s theory of ideas and forms; particularly his analogy of the cave, with its implication of experiencing and knowing the world on various levels. In making my works I have tried to deal with this seeming duality of experience: the perception of the tangible world in all its concrete manifestations, as well as the sense of something percolating, informing, and affecting, just beneath and beyond the surface.
For more information regarding William Dennisuk, please visit: www.kolumbus.fi/william.dennisu