Ross Byers, Tilt, Cardboard, 295 x 235 x 90
Ross Byers, Ebb (triptych), Cardboard. 69 x 109 x 52 Dimensions variable
Ross Byers Flow (triptych), Cardboard. 69 x 109 x 52 Dimensions variable
TRANSIT
ROSS BYERS SOLO COMMISSION EXHIBITION
CURATOR: ELLIE RAY
24 AUGUST – 22 SEPTEMBER 2013
OPENING FRIDAY 23 AUGUST 6PM
In Conversation with the artist: Saturday 24 August, 12 pm
DEVONPORT REGIONAL GALLERY, 45 47 STEWART STREET
Ross Byers is the recipient of the Devonport Regional Gallery’s 2013 Solo Commission Exhibition. The Launceston-based artist has created a series of large sculptural pieces made from cardboard. The works are based on an ongoing interest in architectural spaces.
Byers observes that ‘Dreamtime and playfulness are two key driving forces in my sculptural work. The seemingly eclectic combination of structures, forms and marks are part of a unique visual language I use to convey experiences and imaginings.’ Ross observes that ‘The buildings and scaffolding are constructs of the mind, they provide stability and a home for what they nurture and support. ‘
Byers work begins with sketches which then turn into building and finally back into a drawing which he makes from the completed sculpture. The title of the exhibition, ‘Transit’, toys with the notion of stability and movement – in a sense, Byers constructs seemingly solid structures where his musings and imagination can run free. A large cardboard sculpture leans against the gallery wall like a piece of furniture; another sculpture remains upright on the floor like a tower with open windows. Yet portals open into empty spaces – and outward to the gallery. Just as the mind and body co-exist, inside and outside seem to merge. To add to this convergence is the formal relationships built into the artwork in combination with the formal design of the gallery space which once served as a church. The exhibition is an exploration of imagination, inside and outside, transience and stability. The viewer is invited to weave their way around strange and beautiful objects made from hours of thought, imagination and an extraordinary amount of cardboard.
Astrid Joyce Education and Public Programs Officer Devonport Regional Gallery 45-47 Stewart St, Devonport. TAS 7310
