Susan Collis
Since I fell for you
31 March – 16 May 2010
Ikon Gallery
Walking in to British artist Susan Collis’s exhibition you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled in to an install. At first glance the space will look almost empty or not yet ready but a double take will reveal more.
The artist’s subtle interventions begin to unravel on closer inspection. New commission This too shall pass (2010) is at the centre of the exhibition and imitates a partly dismantled temporary wall, various remnants – holes, screws, Rawlplugs, adhesive tape, staples, paint splashes, splintered wooden door jambs and hinges – are faithfully copied through the use of exotic materials.
Elsewhere, Cursed with a Soul (2007), a worn table appearing covered with flecks of paint, is in fact delicately inlaid with pearls, opals and magnecite. Better Days (2007), an apparently paint-stained and discarded dust-sheet, reveals itself to be meticulous embroidery, rather than the result of an accident.
You will need to take time and inspect the work closely – what appears as a piece of waste or scrap is in fact an expertly crafted artwork made using beautiful materials and precious metals.
Area Culture Guide 