A Memory of Trees

Rebecca Smith

30 x 40 inches

2021

ARTIST STATEMENT

In this diptych I play with one’s visual experience of the image by confounding positive and negative space. I have employed a transparent weaving technique to allow the viewer to experience the subject from both inside and outside. While generally the subject is positive and the background is negative space, I have juxtaposed two versions of the same image. In one, the tree is solid and invites the viewer to stand back and view its contours; in the second, the tree is transparent while the background is solid. This draws the viewer forward to explore the tree’s boundaries, creating a sense of being inside the tree. The effect is enhanced when the diptych is displayed away from the wall, allowing light to pass through.

MATERIALS

Linen, TENCEL™

Transparent weaving