Time stands still at Rice Gallery show

By Theresa Boyer     1/27/11 6:00pm

Mary Temple transforms Rice Gallery into a naturalistic illusion in her new installation "Northwest Corner, Southeast Light," due to open Feb. 3 and running through May 25. The largest in her "light installations" thus far, the work resembles a giant shadow cast against one side of the gallery. The shadows of craggy trees, twisting vines and undergrowth sprawl across a large square of wooden flooring in the central space of the gallery. A canopy in silhouette creeps up the gallery's expansive white walls and subtly dominates the northwest corner. Two sturdy tree trunks frame the main scene, but outlines of bits of vegetation delightfully wind, coil and bend across the floor and walls.

The work's slow meandering across the wooden floor and up onto the walls creates a sense of being transported into a holistic environment through the upward thrust of perceptual planes. The wood stained floor beckons the viewer to explore the space. As the viewer walks across the floor, he can inspect the deceptive artificiality of the carefully planned and painted shadows. A quizzical expression of disbelief may pass over the viewer's face when he or she discovers that his or her presence on the wood flooring fails to cast a shadow upon the installation. Since an actual light source is not present in the highest southeastern corner of the gallery, only the constructed shadows of the painted work span the space.

The inspiration for Temple's work stems from a dynamic catalogue of trees and vegetation that she photographs throughout her travels. Constructed in a piecewise manner, many of the trees and other natural objects silhouetted in the gallery come from various locations across the United States. The two large magnolia trees that frame the installation actually stand outside the Menil Collection in Houston, while the central tree is from Central Park in ?New York City.

---

---

With the help of many tiny brushes, Temple applied dark coats of paint to the floor and walls of the gallery. In order to relay the expansive nature of her vision, Temple broke the image into several small pieces. Then, she used a projector to place the general outline of the trees and vegetation across the gallery. However, a close inspection of the installation reveals Temple's tremendous skill and workmanship. The branches taper to minuscule points, and the outline of the vines follow impossibly convoluted pathways. Precision and meticulous attention to detail enable the marvelously realistic character of the entire installation.

Central to the ethereal, magical atmosphere created in "Northwest Corner, Southeast Light" is the inherent contradiction of a highly naturalistic phenomenon that is actually constructed artificially. Even though the installation mimics a scene found in the natural environment, the bits and pieces are taken from different locations. No true light source provides the clear, bright sunlight needed to cast such a dark shadow. Furthermore, unlike the constantly changing quality of the organic, Temple's work will remain at a static standstill.

Temple explained that she was interested in the idea of stopping time and capturing a singular moment in life and existence. She sees the installation radiating an aura of "poetic melancholy." The work focuses on the little moments in life that all too often slip away in lieu of our hurried and hectic lifestyles.

The play of light and dark is especially striking in "Northwest Corner, Southeast Light." The shadow play evokes a precious moment on an early spring afternoon or the light cascading through the trees on a summertime hike in the woods. Beyond our collection of living memories, the relationship between light, dark and shadows also strikes at our basic elemental instincts. As an infant, the first perceptual cue we understand is the light and dark of our parents' faces. In a sense, the work transports us back to a time when we reveled in curiosity and discovery. Temple asks her viewer to "celebrate not knowing, questioning and finding a way" through the paradoxes invoked through "Northwest Corner, ?Southeast Light."

The installation, as it stretches across the gallery surfaces, invites the viewer to step into the space and relive his or her own experiences. Light quality often unknowingly affects our mood and disposition; the harsh artificial light that emanates from the common 60-watt light bulb generates feelings of anxiety and stress, of studying late at the library or commuting to work. However, the glorious clear light of a bright day reminds us of the calm serenity of some stolen moments on a Sunday morning. "Northwest Corner, Southeast Light" reminds us that the ultimate luxuries in life are not materialistic possessions; rather, they are the forgotten pleasures of time ?and reflection.

---