Austin Clay Willis

These installations are predicated firstly on the spaces in which they are built. The artwork itself reflects the different traits and peculiarities which are specific to the room it occupies. So the architecture of the room informs the actual structure and design of the install. Additionally, these works consider the relationship between the image and the object as well as the pictorial qualities of materials. By incorporating paintings directly into the sculptural installations there forms a play between painted shapes and forms (the image) and the treated materials (the object). The objects slip back and forth between their undeniable ​realness​ and their visual likeness to the painted imagery—and vice versa with the paintings.

My work is rooted in the experience of space and materials, and often engages physical participation through movement. It also strives for an ambiguity which makes the work difficult to resolve. I want to create an experience which is specific to a particular piece of artwork. I regularly use materials such as found scraps of dimensional lumber, discarded sheets of plastic, tarpaulin, textiles, and cans of mistinted house paint. Inspiration for my forms comes from a wide array of information, ranging from construction sites, to picture frames, domestic furniture, and even DIY style backyard treehouses. In many of my works, geometric forms are juxtaposed with hectic assemblages of wood and soft material, creating dynamic compositions with a charismatic configuration or visual balance. Austin Clay Willis

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