Hailing from Mexico City, Dawe tackles notions of masculinity and machismo that is constructed in the present day, more particularly in his native Mexico. Using textiles he creates site-specific installations that act as bridge between fashion and architecture.
These images are from the installation created for the annual contemporary art exhibition Miniartextil in Como, Italy.
The work is entitled Plexus no. 19 and is spread over two balconies in the atrium of Villa Olmo, an early 19th century neoclassic house. this Villa was acquired by the Como municipality in 1924 and is now open to the public during cultural events, such as art exhibitions. Taking about a week to construct with the help of two assistants, Dawe explains some of the problems he encountered, "Because of the historic nature of the building, I wasn't able to touch ceiling, walls or floors to screw in my structures," he says. "So I resorted to fixing them to the railings, which in great measure restricted what I was able to do. In the end, it worked out pretty well; it really exceeded my expectations how well the installation inhabits the space."
'This year's Miniartextil exhibition is called Agora, taking from the Greek word that describes an important public place where people come to share ideas. The visitor is invited to not just look at the artwork but to be actively involved in it. Plexus no. 19 consists of two thread structures streamed across an upper and lower balcony that is meant to be experienced from different angles or at different times of the day. As Dawe tells us, "When the sun comes in in the morning, it is fantastic. Having those window-shaped light beams add a dimension to the installation. I always like when I get direct sunshine on them because it emphasizes the layering of the thread in very interesting ways."' (From http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/gabriel-dawe-plexus-no-19-italy)
From the information I have been able to gather, each section of thread is comprised of hundreds of individual threads which Dawe hand separates, gathers and fixes for his installations. The amount of time that this would take is unthinkable to me, yet it does create a beautiful and transcendent light quality in execution.
The combination of this new age concept and this aged neoclassical building is really appealing to me, as the threads bring out interior colours that would have otherwise maybe been overlooked. The shapes that he creates with the threads are organic and flowing and compliment the soft shapes and furnishings of the Villa. Mostly I love the sense of colour and joy that this installation brings. Using only one material Dawe plays with angles, lights, colours and shadows to create a work that adds value to an already visually interesting setting.
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