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Expanding the Web
August 3, 2013 - August 19, 2013
Expanding the Web
By Jude Skeers
In ‘Expanding the Web’ visual artist Jude Skeers investigates the construction, deconstruction and reconstruction of the web form. His original innovative web was designed and constructed over 25 years ago. The simplicity of the design has allowed for webs to be installed in internal and external spaces, utilizing available structures. In this exhibition the artistry of the web is defined by the available space and by Jude’s decision to use only black yarn. Several of the webs are knitted with black sequins embellishing the black yarn.
‘Expanding the Web’ will have a number of structures pre-assembled and installed in the gallery space. During the three weeks of the exhibition more webs will be created and added, building on the design concept. Members of the public will be able to make their own personal web. Giving away the design celebrates the creative expansion of the web. Teaching people to make a web allows them to teach it to more people and makes the web a living, growing thing. Going further and further, the creative idea that once started continues on.
Jude himself says, “Natural webs are all around the environment and yet I have dared to create an artificial one, it looks like a web, though it’s not exactly something a spider would make, but it’s hanging from a tree just as a night spider might have made it. I love the way they change, with the shadows in the morning and afternoon light. There’s that feeling of naturalness about them and yet a sense of artificiality is there as well.”
The beauty and simplicity of the web design is that it is first constructed as a small piece of knitted fabric. It is then deconstructed by dropping and removing most of the stitches. What remains is a loosely bound continuous length of yarn or string, which is installed to reveal a perfectly formed symmetrical web. The web design can also be modified to form a spiral. Webs have been installed in parks and gardens throughout Australia, including Townsville, Mittagong, Launceston and Bunbury, The largest, 5 metres in diameter, was installed along the Ross River, Townsville, in 2001. The flexible design has allowed for webs as small as 25cm in diameter to be created. These tiny webs are attached to acrylic sheeting, allowing them to be hung in different locations.
A collaboration with Bamboo artist Peter Wojciechowski has produced three dimensional structures which have become an integral part of Jude’s installations. In this exhibition he used painted black dowel to form the simple triangle shape structures and placed a web inside. This then becomes the template for the construction of a triangular or hexagonal pyramid.
Expanding the Web will be at Barometer Gallery, 13 Gurner Street Paddington NSW from August 3rd to 18th. Knit your own web workshops are available by appointment; contact Jude via email: judeskeers@hotmail.com