Chemosphere

Curated by Sonya Blazek, acrylic on wall, dimensions variable, Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario, Winter/Spring 2018.  Photography: Shelly Mallon

Kate Wilson’s images are simultaneously familiar and strange. Vegetation and debris intertwine with fictional winds. Celestial bodies appear as molecular structures with planetary shapes – retreating, expanding and in motion. Wilson draws within the expanded field of boundless space and sensation, connecting elements into fragmented, intangible narratives.

Chemosphere references the earth’s atmosphere, a place where chemical reactions are triggered by the absorption of energy or light. Similarly, the drawing is activated through the experience of the viewer. The drawing represents a source of energy generated by its own creative aura and the viewer’s reaction. Wilson’s work engages us celestially; her use of line is a response to the space’s energy.

Wilson’s wall drawings are based on intimate studies, which are enlarged through projection and drawn directly onto the wall. Working swiftly and responding to her environment, Wilson transforms the study into its final iteration. The drawings existence is fleeting – igniting the viewer’s imagination before it vanishes.

Sonya Blazek, Assistant Curator, Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario