David Constable

Flickr set with details / different pov’s

Fountain

DSCF1872, originally uploaded by burtonwood + holmes.

one half of new pairing for upcoming show in brooklyn at Fountain Studios shipped today. now i just need to make a drawing to go with it. this piece uses canvas hinges, a bit bulkier than paper, but i really enjoyed it’s rough and ready look compared to the clean lines i usually trend towards.

Tom Burtonwood
David Constable

March 13th – April 4th, 2010

Opening reception, Sat. March 13th, 7-10pm

Chawn-oiserie chor-nwä-z(a)ré, (Fr) n art made from detritus, – n to construct with purpose, – v bored with it all [N Eng & Scot from chawn to talk, and Fr, from chinoiserie (a decorative or fine art object in) a style or design or decoration that uses or copies Chinese motifs or methods]

For Chawn-oiserie Burtonwood presents two projects. The first is a series of modest size sculptures each paired with a drawing. These combines explore the interplay between two-dimensional space and three-dimensional form. Geometric shapes inspired by the video game Tetris spill out of the drawings and cascade into the gallery. Burtonwood uses a laser cutter to exact these blocks from plywood and acrylic. The same outlines are found in the drawings and so a connection between the two is quite evident. His second project for this exhibition is a digital animation titled “Translations.” Produced in collaboration with Chicago based sound artist Jacob C. Hammes, the animation and audio work begins with a flattened two dimensional pattern that transforms into a simple cube. Burtonwood is fascinated with the “fold” and the act of folding / unfolding. The animation follows several different permutations of the cube unfolding / folding in this manner. Tom Burtonwood received his BA in Fine Art from Loughborough University, Loughborough, England in 1997 and subsequently completed his MFA at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, in 2001. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois and is an Adjunct Instructor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Recent exhibitions and screenings include “Chasing Two Rabbits” at Three Walls and (Con)Temporary Art Space both in Chicago.

Constable will install three large scale paper fold works presented on a ground of standard construction materials utilizing visual material gleaned from magazines and other mass media sources. These works elaborate on Constable’s longstanding fascination with the representation of power in the pages of magazines and displayed on the screen. Additionally Constable will exhibit a series of works titled “Caulfed Paintings.” These works aim to relate the substantial influence that the local extraction of aggregates exerts upon environment. Constable lives in rural Virginia where the mainstay of local commerce has, and continues to be, the extraction and distribution of coal. This industry’s revolution from underground to surface mining continues to fuel manifest industrial purposes. The specific extraction process utilized to service this demand operates as the object of these studies. As a process, Mountain-Top removal requires an overwhelming industrial effort, which results in the natural environments complete subordination and reorganization to those forces. David Constable received his BA in Fine Art from Grays School of Art, in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1989, and subsequently completed his MFA at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, in 2002. He lives in Norton, Virginia, and is an Adjunct instructor at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Recent exhibitions include ‘Marginal’ at The University of Seville, Department of Architecture, Seville, Spain, and a site-specific installation in the John Cooke Wyllie Library at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise.

Translations from tom burtonwood on Vimeo.

Final version. Titled “Translations.” Come to Three Walls on Friday Feb 26th, doors at 6pm to see it in person.

first draft of the new animation for threewalls screening on friday, i’m really happy with some bits of this, other bits need to be tweaked, but i’ve got like 3-4 more sequences ready to plug in and a few more that haven’t been made in maya yet, but i’m liking the retro, glitchy feel to the visuals and loving the unfolding cubes….. now if only i could make these in real life… if you wanna see this finished and projected on a wall with awesome musical accompaniment hustle on over to threewalls on friday.

here’s a sneak preview of one of the sequences for the upcoming screening at Three Walls on friday, it cuts off a bit a the beginning and runs a bit fast but i’ll fix that for friday. Events details are as follows:

Friday February 26, 2010

Chasing Two Rabbits

Friday, February 26^th, 2010.

Doors at 6pm, Program starts at 7pm

Suggested Donation: $10.00

Chasing Two Rabbits is a special event curated by Sonia Yoon and Shannon Stratton that pairs animators with live performances by sound artists and musicians. Inspired by the experimental films of Norman McLaren, who combined abstract imagery (including scratching and painting into the film stock in earlier work, as well as paper cut-outs and live action and dance) with imaginative music and sound, Chasing Two Rabbits, acts to pair artists in both genres to produce a unique event where, rather than leaving art to illustrate a story, perhaps sound and vision will illuminate each other.

The program for the evening will include animations by Gracen Brilmyer, Peter Burr, Tom Burtonwood, Dana Carter, Jodie Mack, Tracy Taylor, and Rebecca Schoenecker with sound by The Chicago Phonographers, Chris Hammes, Eric Zeigenhagen, Steve Lacy, Frank Van Duerm, Kotoka Suzuki, Cait Stevens, George Monteleone and Broken Chooser.

“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.”

New drawing / sculpture, as yet untitled. Pastel on paper, laser cut plywood, paint. Approx 16 x 30 inches. 2010

Holly and I have new pieces in a show opening at a new space called — The (Con)Temporary Art Space –  in the Loop tomorrow (thursday the 18th) night. “An Evening with your Contemporaries” features art works from artists including Ed Marszewski, Rachel Marszewski, Emily Clayton, Theordore Darst, Henry James Glover, Serena Himmlefarb, Sara Louden, Chris Roberson, Andrew Rigsby, Douglas Burns and Holly Holmes. Opening is from 4.30 – 8.30pm. (C)TAS is located at 208 South Wabash, Chicago, IL. For a sneak peak of the show / space check out my flickr set.

(C)TAS is brought to you by the folks who produce Proximity, Lumpen, Version Vest and the Co-Prosperity Sphere, The (Con)Temporary Art Space is a an avenue for discussion, research and action. The former retail space will be used as a working studio by cultural workers, producers, artists and designers for projects they are working on collectively and individually. The Public will be able to absorb these presentations as well as share their ideas about contemporary art. The (Con)Temporary Art Space will function as a information center and a place to learn about Chicago’s diverse art ecology.

Holly has some work in UnCommon Territories, opening Friday night (the 19th) at Heaven Gallery too! So we’re pretty crazed this week, but if you’re out and about stop by and say hi.

Holly Holmes, Grow Club. Seeds, Vacuum Formed Plastic. Dims var. 2009

Permutation_495 from tom burtonwood on Vimeo.

Montage of various geometric sculptures / installations 1996 – 1999.