Mass Cultural Council and the New Art Center (NAC) will present Mass Cultural Council Awardees in Crafts and Sculpture/Installation/New Genres, September 18-October 17, 2015, at the NAC.
Anne Lilly, one of the exhibiting artists, discusses her expertly crafted stainless steel kinetic sculptures.
Recently I was asked whether I consciously intended for my sculptures to be as hypnotic as they are, or if it was an accident, or the result of some other factor. That kind of absorption was not something that I consciously decided upon before starting any particular piece, but after working for twenty years, it is clear that it is a state that I’m searching for, an experience I want to feel myself and share with others. It is neither accidental nor strategically conceived, but something that I find myself grappling toward again and again.
Movements that are flitty, jangly, wobbly, jerky, monotonous, or otherwise aversive – these are all possible qualities which appear as a piece develops. But they are also qualities that abound in the world. In a way I think I want my work to be a refuge from the world, from chaos, noise and aggression. I actively steer the work away from that, and instead toward movements that are complex, organic, unified, and meditative.
One thing about my work that seems to suprise people: I don’t use a computer at any point. The process is entirely hands on and involves long stages of experimentation. I do sketch a bit to figure out a difficult detail, but the larger action of the work usually does not arise from preconception or pre-planning.
See Anne Lilly’s work at the upcoming exhibition, Massachusetts Cultural Council Awardees in Crafts, Sculpture, Installation & New Genres, September 18 – October 17, 2015. Opening Reception: September 18, 7-9 PM. New Art Center, 61 Washington Park, Newtonville, MA, 02460
All images courtesy of Anne Lilly.
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