The plan: Studio visit with Amanda Hughen
Waiting outside, I strained me eyes trying to see past the horizonal lines of a pair of window shades. I heard male voices and wondered if I should knock but instead found a place to sit and read.
When we entered, the space happened to be a sound production studio and Hughen had aquired a neat, good-sized space in the back. She began with presenting her work and stating her side-profession as a graphic designer. It was apparent she was trained as in design. Her work was abstract and dealt with ambiguous space, much like my work. After much discussion Amanda ended with an invitation of the Approach, Transition, Touchdown show at the Electric Works Gallery.
When the big day came, I got inevitably lost. After walking in circles I finally found the gallery. I entered and thought, "God Philip, you came on the wrong day... again." The room I had entered was filled with large and small format books which were mostly illustrations. As I continued feverishly, I entered the main room and Amanda was standing there surrounded a couple of people and a swarm of children.
I followed the natural flow of the gallery which landed me in a room of installations. All seemed to deal with very specific elements of modern aritecture. A piece delt with a driver perspective of the road, another a light installtion of a cracked windshield.
I then moved into the main gallery and noticed a wall of smaller drawings. This show was a collaboration and these drawings illustrated conceptual drawings dilivered from one aritst to another. These drawings were great and setup in true (gallery)sketchbook fashion.
The large scale works were the end result of the collaboration. Dominating, suspensful, soft and hard. When looking at these pieces, I feel tense. Despite the warm array of colours, the juxtaposition reminds me of my own work.
