Temperature Inversion
Leigh Bridges
January 18 - February 16, 2013
"With this recent body of work, I have been experimenting more specifically with creating optical resonances within the paintings, by manipulating colour and tone. I’ve been interested in the idea of delaying the perception of painterly space, in which the eye takes a moment to adjust; these works push this further by creating something akin to a blind spot through optical intensity. When one views the light portions, it is sometimes difficult to peripherally interpret the details in the dark portions, and visa versa.
"An atmospheric and optical phenomenon is created. The title of the show, Temperature Inversion, is a term for a natural phenomenon in which the higher one travels, the warmer it gets – a reverse of the natural order of things. The inversion traps the heat in a layer, and often results in the trapping of particles, creating a hazy atmosphere. Temperature also refers to colour, which pushes and pulls for optical affect.
"I’m interested in manipulating material and employing collage-like construction in which conflicting visual languages collide. Image parts are chopped up and re-constructed, simulated wood textures are inserted next to painterly passages.
Lastly, these works continue to explore the motif of the tree house, implying provisional architecture for children, recreational campouts or survivalist shelters. In this case, I discovered a two level structure on Vancouver Island which provided a reference point and way to experience the subject firsthand."
Leigh Bridges, November 2012
Leigh Bridges is a Canadian artist originally from Edmonton. She was granted her MFA in 2005 from the University of Victoria, lived in Berlin and Vancouver, and then recently moved to Winnipeg to teach art at the University of Manitoba. She has shown internationally in Montreal, Berlin, Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Seattle and Skien, Norway.