Svava Thordis Juliusson @ b contemporary

Svava Thordis Juliusson sculptures; Photo credit: Karen Thiessen, 2012

A few years ago I went on an artist date with ten dollars in my pocket and bought materials that I don't normally use in my studio practice. Among other things, a few packages of cable ties came home with me and I had fun playing with them. I thought that I had stumbled across something entirely new... and then I saw Svava Thordis Juliusson's work for the first time. Ideas are fluid.

The madness of their method is a three-person show featuring work by Svava Thordis Juliusson, Liss Platt, and Laura Marotta at b contemporary until September 1, 2012. Svava's four small white sculptures hanging in the window remind me of three-dimensional children's drawings: they hold an unexpected power for me. I am reminded of stars bursting and my childhood drawings of eyes with dramatic eyelashes. The elongated piece to the right reminds me of the torso of a beheaded doll.

Svona by Svava Thordis Juliusson; Photo credit: Karen Thiessen, 2012

As a textiles person, I appreciate the texture and repetition that go into each sculpture. The addition of a cable tie is like adding a tuft of yarn to a burlap base to make a hooked rug. The white sculptures work best for me, but Avalanche (excerpt) Yellow does have a certain charm with its cheerful yellow. Svava is making a huge installation for the side of a building for Hamilton's Supercrawl on September 14 and 15. I can't wait to see it. For more information, check out her blog.

Avalanche (excerpt) Yellow by Svava Thordis Juliusson; Photo credit: Karen Thiessen, 2012