Todd Robinson: The Wringing Core
An exhibition exploring the unique encounter between the audience and the art object.
Overview
In his second solo exhibition at Galerie pompom, multidisciplinary artist Todd Robinson continues his penchant for exploring audience reception and how we as viewers encounter art.
Featuring photographic, sculptural and video works, The Wringing Core is comprised of two seemingly separate, but in fact, connected, collections. Firstly, a series of sartorial studies exploring the interaction between garments Robinson has created and tactile materials (think water and sand), and the second, a series of sculptures — strikingly simple vertical wooden forms that are crumpling and bending in places, as if being bent by an invisible force. They make gentle reference to bodily articulations, subtly recalling flexed elbows, bending knee joints and responsive spines. The exhibition also references figurative sculpture, along with therapeutic practices like meditation and relaxation exercises.
If this all sounds a little vague, that's probably because Robinson's work avoids absolutes and defies closed construction — typically embracing a sense of flow, openness and what the exhibition describes as "the multiple intelligences of bodily knowledge." Bring an open mind, and while you're there, why not check out James Lieutenant's Supergods exhibition.
Image: Todd Robinson, from the series The Wringing Core (detail), 2017.