July 6 – 23, 2012
Opening Reception Friday July 6, 8-11pm

40 Gestures is Jade Schleppe’s debut solo exhibition. This series embarks in search of new territory in textural art. With the use of string and glue, anatomical images are constructed and explored. Light playing off the monochromatic ridges and grains of the string allows the viewer to see the image and to travel along the route in which the work was created. The series grew from a curiosity of how three-dimensional structure can be perceived as planar imagery and came together as a study of textile perception.

The title work, 40 Gestures, is a proverb presented in American Sign Language. The message, passed down through generations, seeks to show rather than tell. By using a visual language the voice is concealed and invites the viewer to seek out the meaning. Natural form is perceived through the use of looping coils and contour lines, much like those found in wood grains and fingerprints.

In Schleppe’s other works the use of lineal movement guides the eye and illustrates structure. These images are gestures of the figures themselves – vestiges of a time, place, or form. The white monochromatic colour of the works situated in the exhibition space enhances the ghost-like forms. They appear in some lights while disappearing in others, like a Fetch in folklore.

Inspired by omens, the pieces play on the perception of projected events or warnings. The idea that the fruition of such events is brought about by the foretelling, in a self-fulfilling manner, is reflected in the intricate string work. Bouncing off of and reverberating like an omen itself, the path is forged and the figure emerges.

Jade Schleppe resides and works in Vancouver B.C.

Gam Gallery Summer Hours:
Tues & Fri 1 to 5 pm and by appointment (thegam@live.com)
***The artist will be in the gallery on Thurs July 12th and 19th 1 to 5 pm***