JADE RUDE

Aristotle once said that space is not “nothing,” but a receptacle in which objects of matter can be placed. Explorations of Nothing investigates unconsidered spaces in a various series of works, lending form to in-between spaces, negative spaces, shadows and gaps in order to give importance to that which is normally overlooked and unacknowledged. Explorations of Nothing draws attention to the space between reality and abstraction, playing with our perceptions of two and three dimensional space. By removing existing objects from the equation, their shadows become the focus of attention, transforming them into tangible objects, and thereby revealing them as inseparable components of reality.

Safe Places focuses on the in-between spaces in our immediate surroundings. Created from cut-outs in black acrylic mirror (you become the object) their abstract geometric forms are derived from actual-scale spaces one could imagine dissolving into and hiding (the black void) such as the space under the filing cabinet, or the space inside a shoe box.

Not Yet Something explores the space between pictorial, illusionistic and actual space consisting of different geometric abstractions of objects or non-objects that exist across a plane rather than in it. Each form is created from chromed sheet aluminium and painted flat black.

The urban gridis comprised of autonomous structures placed in sequence. The leftover spaces between these structures consist of a network of gaps. Essentially, they are architectureʼs negative spaces, invisible yet essential presences that bring balance to compositions and strengthen their design. As in-between spaces without any particular functional designation, their use is open to interpretation and infiltration. In-Between Spaces is an abstract 2-Dimensional interpretation of the gaps and openings around the city that make up the urban environment, challenging viewers to re-examine their physical surroundings. This project seeks to create a dialogue between architectural intentions and the processes by which society appropriates space. Its minimalist use of form and materials also position the sculpture as an artefact, or a monument, to the most neglected and unnoticed areas of our surroundings

Safe Places, collaged - is composed of layered and interchanging oil drawings on parchment paper. The size of each drawing is magnified times four, to a human-scale. The final collage is arranged in an architectural manner in order to transform the dimension from 2-d into a 3-d social space.

Corner Shadow is an on going photo series documenting the gradations of grey found in a corner's shadow. This project consists of illustrations of shadows, conveyed in transparencies and then scanned and printed on archival paper – creating a permanent document of the otherwise transient shadow.

Durer’s Solid, Form and Flat consists of one solid form and its unfolded and flattened version stacked on top of one another. This project explores the space between pictorial and actual space.

Still Life, One Object is an ongoing photographic series, based on historic still life paintings from which I select one object and re-present it, divorced from the original source. A singular object, such as a piece of fruit or a book, is isolated and then photographed against a white background, casting a shadow. Afterwards the object is removed from the final photograph. In each instance, the original source painting is referenced only in the photograph’s title, such as Picasso’s Lemon, which refers to Picasso’s 1936 painting Still Life with Lemon and Oranges (the object I select is always one which also appears in the title of the original artwork). Other classic still lives by such artists as Cezanne, Gauguin, and Monet are also used as source material in the series. Throughout the history of realism in painting, the shadow has played a pivotal role in creating the illusion of three-dimensionality. Here, illusion become fact, as the actual shadow of the silhouette is photographed, lending significance to the presence of shadows as inseparable components of reality. The play between reality and abstraction is at the forefront of this project.

Grey Scale is an ongoing series that uses traditional methods and materials, canvas and oil paints, in order to graphically illustrates the shadows of absent paintings. Throughout the history of realism in painting, the shadow has played a pivotal role in creating the illusion of three-dimensionality. Here, illusion become fact, lending significance to the presence of shadows as inseparable components of reality.