Pseudo Form I
Contemporary paper artist Crystal Wagner continues her research into organic forms that seem to grow into their environment. Her new visually exciting series, titled Nexus, mixes classic screen-printing, paper cutting, sculpture, and installation art together into a body of mesmerizing work.
Primarily working in shades of blue and green, Wagner sculpts screen-printed sheets of paper into undulating forms that seem organic, yet pulled from fantasy. “As naturally as vines overgrow the surfaces they interact with, Wagner’s bioforms seem to have a life of their own,” Treason Gallery (the site of her latest exhibition) writes. “Her works evoke a unique mix of feelings, with their combination of exotic ecological familiarity and natural beauty.”
From swirling waves of paper to honeycomb forms, Wagner perfectly balances the elements of each individual piece to bring the entire three-dimensional artwork into balance. In addition to the hung cut paper sculptures, the artist has also created one of her trademark site-specific installations in the gallery space.
Over the course of two weeks, the contemporary artist has allowed her installation to “grow,” with the final result unveiled during opening night, allowing the public to be immersed in the environment. “With my installation work, I am exploring these ideas specifically as they relate to people and their physical sense of space in the modern world with a consideration of natural forms and structures based in nature,” shares Wagner.
Combining a natural and man-made world, the paper artist asks us to consider how our three-dimensional reality has been overtaken by the flat, binary world we immerse ourselves in thanks to technology. “The installation pieces are hybrids between organic and manufactured worlds. They examine these ideas through the use of every day, recycled materials that grow in the spaces that house them.”
Nexus is currently on view at Treason Gallery in Seattle, Washington through March 31, 2018.
Crystal Wagner molds screen-printed paper into incredibly sculptural organic forms.
Pseudo Form V
Pseudo Form V, detail
Pseudo Form VI
Pseudo Form III
Pseudo Form III, detaiil
Pseudo Form II
Pseudo Form IV
Pseudo Form IV, detail
Aqueous III
Aqueous III, detail
Bio Form I
Bio Form III
As part of her new exhibition Nexus, the contemporary artist has also created a site-specific art installation.
Nexus installation
Crystal Wagner: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Treason Gallery.
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