The works of Karin Ruggaber

--> Ruggaber's Relief series, create a grouping of shapes resembling a puzzle, yet when placed together the pieces fail to fit in relation to one another. This series spur from the concept that as a viewer one wants to contrive something from the unknown forms even though they don’t resemble a narrative. The simplicity of forms invites us to view them not so much as representation, but as evidence into an exploration of materiality. 

These abstracted, earthy works sit out from the wall, arranged in a way that walks the eye from one shape to another. The series emerge from the solid material of plaster; however on the wall they are soft on the eye, creating juxtaposition within the functions of the material. The series despite their hard-edged mixed media demonstrate transition, blurring what we perceive as familiar.

Relief #47
Plaster, pigment, spraypaint
2010
40cm x 34cm x 1cm

Relief #94
Plaster, pigment, spraypaint
2010
40cm x 34cm x 1cm

These works speak predominately as I can make connections to my work. The form and colour pallet is where i make this relationship, The fuildity of form seems as though it could be as light as a brush stroke, the colour field is matt and flat, they speak gently as the sculputral form walks your eye from one form to the next. The works are not load mouthed - the seem quite and may manifest a memory of something long lost.

I am really interested in the materials Ruggaber uses as she creates a sort of mechanical flatness and repetition from ephemeral everyday materials. I see my work in a way where you begin to dwell on the image as it makes known the tiny things that go misplaced. I see this evident in Ruggaber's work as they look as though they are natural pigments magnifying colours that we recognize in the the everyday - returning you to a memory.