Continuing through March 31, 2017
More than 20 miles of metallic copper thread ebb and flow like streams of golden light in Sophia Dixon Dillo’s “Illumination.” The installation, which interacts with the Colorado artist’s new "Light Box" series, is a refreshing exception in an art district typically characterized by marketable work. The charming yet crooked walls and low ceilings of historic adobe homes-turned-galleries don’t easily lend themselves to conceptual installs, but Dillo debunks all of that. The intimate room that houses Dillo’s installation allows for close examination of each individual strand as it arcs and bows from floor to ceiling, while providing enough space for the miles of thread to coalesce into nearly transparent forms that shift with the infusion of light and the viewer’s perspective. Dillo questions the immateriality of light by giving it a physical presence with metallic copper embroidery thread, a medium she also uses for large-scale projects that espouse a similar vision.
Dillo’s 12 x 12 inch white "Light Boxes" coexist with her installation as anchors in an otherwise ephemeral space, while providing a glowing contrast against the gallery’s adobe walls. Plexiglas surfaces strengthen the delicacy of punctured paper compositions, which are cut into minimalist, geometric patterns and illuminated by LED backlighting. The ethereal quality and square shape of the work is reminiscent of Agnes Martin’s grids, a clear inspiration for Dillo. The "Light Boxes" shine through the sweeping reflective threads, inviting the viewer to observe the quiet, consistent presence of light in this experiential exhibition.
