Kyle Austin Dunn
I explore and uncover biases through the digitally influenced presentation of an archaic medium. The paintings utilize layers of overlapping lines to create complex distortions––densely stacked and subtly interwoven nests from which suggested forms bulge and flex. Unlike conventional op aesthetics, these works trade in order and cleanliness for something more chaotic, mitigating their graphic nature. What is a line? The question is repeatedly brought up and investigated in the works. On a canvas versus in three-dimensional space, these interpretations diverge and conflate. There is a certain obsession with the simplicity of lines and how subtle changes or repetitions can greatly affect their singular translations. The rhythmic ways that a network of lines can function visually is similar to individuals in a community. A focused interest is exploration of how groups of lines blend in or flow gracefully in relation to surrounding layers (synchronization) versus those that disrupt or standout (dissonance). The intended experience of this visual seesaw is jumbled stimulation that both tranquilizes and disturbs, confusing our evocative response.