OSTIUM STAIRCASE
a solo exhibition by Andy Maugh in the Snap Space Gallery March 1st - 29th, 2024
“In art there are no wrong answers. All answers are correct to varying degrees. My process begins by creating spontaneous, quickly executed drawings consisting of abstract forms. It is as if my pencil is “vomiting on the page” because sometimes I don’t know what’s going to come out. These drawings are chaotic and uncontrolled. On inspection afterwards many of the compositions within them seem to come from elsewhere, as if the page were visited by a ghost.”
The process of selecting and refining smaller compositions within these drawings in order to plan a sculpture is, in contrast to the drawings, very methodical in nature. Moving hardware, such as pivots and hinges invite viewers to interact and change parts of the composition to their liking. Lights added to the work give it an atmospheric, sometimes haunting presence.
Artist Statement
In the progression of my artistic expression within the past year, a discernible transformation has occurred — light has ascended to a pivotal role, eclipsing conventional compositional norms. This evolution draws inspiration from the Light and Place movement, surrealism, and architectural aesthetics, influenced significantly by luminaries such as Tanguy, Noguchi, Corbusier and Henry Moore. The nuanced interplay of light within a wood edifice both conceals and reveals.
Rooted in pareidolic bio-morphism, my artistic style captures the innate human inclination to discern meaning in ostensibly random forms. Executed in two distinct phases — initially as pencil drawings evoking automatic writing, followed by expansive wall sculptures crafted from native woods—these integrate moving parts and traditional holiday lights. The intentional abstraction within my work eschews explicit messaging, instead inviting a spectrum of interpretations.
My dual roles as a carpenter and electrician, spurred by the exigencies of house remodeling, coalesce with my artistic endeavors. This pragmatic fusion elevates the woodwork and dynamic lighting aspects of each sculpture, building a material language that evolves over time.
