sowing seeds

vacant space
los angeles, usa

es gallery
tokyo,japan

2017

I was interested in the still life as a form of painting genre that is often overlooked. Using the watermelon as a departure point I created this exhibition in a vacant space, typically not a gallery, typically not anything.

Using the melon seed I researched it's various contexts over time. Material was sourced from history and science books, art history painting, religious & spiritual, cultural stereotypes among others.

I was interested in activating a space that was largely neutral with a sensory pink. It was surrounded by dive bars, Chinese restaurants and located within the "tide pool" of a strip mall along a small boulevard in East Hollywood.

The works pose as seeds of time as they explore the fruit of their forbearer. Following this exhibition and documentation, I shipped the work to Tokyo where I was lucky to have another space organised to explore a "sister" exhibition. This allowed me to rethink the installation and a shifted context for the work as its environment changed.

On conclusion of the exhibition I gave all the artwork to my friends.