This piece of artwork deserves a bit of extra documentation which all comes across in person but hard to communication over photos.
I’ve been making art for over 20 years and this commission really stands out as unique in my large body of work.
First, it’s got endlessly customizable colors by the viewer’s phone. Any color pallet with any level of transparency. Which is just fun.
The top two layers are thick layers of laser etched plexiglass, which are edge lit.
The lighting is hidden in the custom designed frame, so it’s pretty magical how the lines light up.
The edges are designed to be open so they reveal the color of the artwork.
The side of the frame gives a direct side view, showing off the depth and giving the fame a more open feel as opposed to a boxed in square.
Because the laser etch is a from a hand drawn process drawing in vector on thick plexiglass, it builds depth in each layer.
The lighting can be set on routines for different times of the day hitting color schemes that best fits the rooms lighting or the intended mood.
It can range between bold and bright…
….to subtle and detailed.
Not only can the viewer save and develop profiles over time but they can develop a more intimate relationship with the artwork in a playful and thoughtful way.
Or just go dark. The artwork is designed to be stand alone with no lighting. The unlit etched layers have their own aesthetic as a grey line.
All the details and architectural line work all come out.
The base layers are laser etched wood, which have been hand colored to give rich white/black contrasts.
All the drawings are drawn in NYC during the pandemic when the city was quiet so the architecture could stand out more.
The client wanted artwork that was bold black and white as a stand alone.
There’s over 50 individual pieces of laser etched artwork.
In person, one can get lost in the detail, depth and layers. Or one can get funky, colorful and impulsive.
The frame is a custom designed collaboration with Ot-tra, a design studio in Red Hook. They have an incredible wood studio, make and design beautiful works.
There was a lot of prototyping to effectively hide the lighting, keep the frame light and open but also support the very material heavy components.
It’s about 70in wide, 40in tall and 8in thick.
The LED is completely built into the frame, hidden but serviceable from the side to future proof the artwork.
Thanks for taking the time to discover this artwork!