The Contemporary Art Modern Project presents Light Speed, an exploration of time and space through the work of artists Liz Leggett and James Akers. Follow along as both artists implement vibrant color palettes combined with unique practices to create artworks with a sense of organized chaos.
Varying between mediums and layers such as oil, acrylic and graphite, Leggett works at high speeds to create gestural marks throughout her paper canvases. These quick but precise markings merge to form elaborate works that can be explored for hours. Bullhead II, for example, gives the viewer an impression of a bull charging head on. Yet, it can also be perceived from the profile of the bull. The abstracted bull accompanied by the vibrant pinks, yellows, and greens on the bottom half of the painting combine to showcase the motion and energy of the figure. Small details throughout toy with the viewers perspective of the image, allowing one the opportunity to get lost within observation.
Akers, on the other hand, is constrained by the nature of the medium, forcing Akers to work at a much slower pace. Glass is a delicate material that requires patience and respect, which Akers demonstrates as he molds the glass tubes to his liking. He forms the sculptures into abstracted forms reminiscent of doodled flowers or squiggled drawings as seen in RaspberryRuby, NovialCandle, AquamarineSunrise, WrapDoodle. His use of color throughout the sculptures varies. Some portions of the sculpture are created using colored glass which creates vibrant, yet stagnant, lines. Other portions feature clear glass tubing which allows the electricity coursing through to be visible. These alternating sources of color and motion in the abstract neon sculpture veers away from traditionally commercial methods of glass production, and results in unique sculptures that bend the rules just as Akers bends the glass.
The final product of Leggett and Akers’ labor are masterful works implementing diverse practices, resulting in elaborate pieces that ask the viewer to linger in appreciation. Both artists bend time and space to create works capable of reflecting the movement, chaos, energy, and possibly the intentionality behind the universe.
