2017, 7500x7500x3000mm, cast recycled glass and neon lights, Waiheke island, NZ
I was born in 1972 and this was the year that the Tate Gallery purchased Equivalent VIII by Carl Andre. This work that consists out of 120 identical bricks in two un-cemented layers, in a six-by-10 rectangle represents a pivotal moment in art and remains an iconic piece that highlights the trajectory of the history of art. In contrast to Carl Andre’s work my glass bricks are like individual portraits of the humble ‘cinder block’. The work stands as an antithesis of industrial mass-produced bricks, as my glass bricks are hand made in a time consuming handcrafted fashion.
All the bricks in this work are made out of recycled glass that are hand cast in a bespoke manner. Each brick is slightly different depending on the way the glass melted in the kiln creating a living feeling to the wall. The transparent glass bricks are layered on top of each other and coloured by internal custom made neon tubes creating subtle lines of colour. This glowing colour highlights the differences within each brick and creates another experience during the night.