Tropical Contemporary is pleased to present Outside Inside, an installation of work produced by Tricia Knope and Clara Koons.
Outside Inside is a conversation on themes of technology, nature, three-dimensional space, and human-made materials. The show consists largely of flat pieces that span the border between painting and sculpture. Works stand on the same plane as the viewer, creating a sense of immersive space, but one that is easily betrayed by the objects’ flatness. The space feels simultaneously fake and real, physical and virtual, outside and inside.
"We are hybrids of the organic and virtual, living partially in a digital landscape and partially in the physical. My work synthesizes these realms in a physical space, combining digital precision with painterly markings. Cyberspace is envisioned as a tangible environment and the natural becomes artificial. Flat sculptures reminiscent of a stage set reference the performative spirit of internet engagement. Sculptural plants rendered with a digital appearance draw parallels between technology and nature, evoking the ways these powerful forces influence one another. As an inhabitant of our time, I often feel torn between a biological inclination to be close to nature and an engineered dependence upon technology. My art expresses the uniqueness of our time and constantly shifting ethos, particularly in regards to technology and nature, while engaging in dialogue with both the past and the future. "
"My work functions as vignettes of place, object, and the relationship we have with our physical surroundings. It is a reflection of my environment as I perceive it, a study of gesture, and how objects come into place and relate to each other, and us, in a space. I am influenced by my surroundings and sense of place. I am most impressionable when I am in a new place as I gather new information, get a sense of orientation, memorize landmarks, and move through space."
