KATE VASSALLO

2 - 12 June 2022 @ CCAS MANUKA

Consisting of abstract drawing, painting and printmaking, this solo exhibition of new works by Kate Vassallo brings together two years of studio experimentation. This body of work focuses on systems, light, perception and material process.

Artist Statement: 

Systems surround us in contemporary life, from the bureaucratic structures of government to the rules and scripts underlying digital interfaces. In my art practice, I design materially driven systems as a methodology to produce abstract artworks, combining rules, repetitious labour and serendipitous material textures. I have started to think about my art practice as a kind of ecosystem, as different materials and processes intersect with each other. Time, light, colour and materiality are important to me; I use these elements to create a heightened awareness of perception within viewers.

My systems involve chance-based steps and elements requiring artistic decisions to be made. By working in this way, I hope to visualise a tension between system-based perfection and the qualities inherent in making something by hand. I have always been drawn to repetitious mark-making, most visible in my drawings that are constructed of thousands of fine ruled lines. These marks become a visual record of time and labour. When making my work, I’m interested in testing my ability and limitations, both mentally and physically. I am interested in highlighting artist labour and interrogating the construct of the artist studio.

Image: Kate Vassallo, Inner Harmony, 2021