Portraits of Mass and Transmission: David McCracken

Transcending our expectations of his chosen materials new works in David McCracken's exhibition Portraits of Mass and Transmission appear at once industrial yet have an organic quality.

Large-scale works made of Corten-steel dominate the exhibition space and despite their size, have a light whimsy quality that is incongruous with the material itself. Although formally minimal, subtle nuances and incongruities in form, material and sensuousness, add dynamism and layers of interpretation to these works. The heavy industrial reading of the works is counter-balanced by forms that appear too fluid to be solely functional. In another twist McCracken emulates the typically light weight metal, tread plate, by welding steel to his Corten works further suggesting a defiance of traditional materials.

An organic reading is further revealed in delicate patterns on the work surfaces trace the path of the rain and add an ephemeral quality to these works.