Shadow As Volume

1986–1997

We wrongly perceive shadow to be a lightless, flat silhouette. In truth it is an invisible darkened volume projecting from the object blocking the light, ending with whatever the shadow is cast onto. In that limited respect shadows are like the volumes in my Space-hold sculptures in the sense that both have an enclosed volume at their core. For one it’s space, the other is darkness. Once the analogy between shadow and space became apparent, I wanted to explore the expressive possibilities within the shadow as a vital physical object, my actors in these created narratives were common still life objects—a knife, a bowl, and a bottle. These three became anthropomorphic surrogates in my “stories.”