The show at Max Estrella, Madrid
will be the artist's first private show in a Spanish gallery. The
work builds on Sandison's recent show in KoldoMitxelena Kulturunea,
Donosita - San Sebastián that opened in April 2006.
The artist works in situ; each
element is installed in relation to the architecture of the gallery.
The works are all computer data projections on the floor, walls,
and ceiling of the gallery. The projections overlap each other and
spread through the rooms of the gallery, creating an immersive space.
The works are generated by computer
programs running in real time so that no single moment in the show
is identical to another. The computer programs are running genetic
algorithms much in the same way as scientists use computers to predict
weather patterns, or the value of shares on a stock exchange,or
even to simulate animal or even human behaviour.
All of the works fall under the
collective description: 'philosophia
naturalis', a term applied to the objective study of nature and
the physical universe that was regnant before the development of
modern science. An important distinguishing characteristic of science
and natural philosophy is the fact that natural philosophers generally
did not feel compelled to test their ideas in a practical way. Instead,
they observed phenomena and came up with 'philosophical' conclusions.
More recently the term 'natural
philosophy' has been appropriated by proponents of the idea of 'intelligent
design'. In the context of the creation-evolution controversy the
term has been revived by proponents of creationism, particularly
creation science and intelligent design, argue that modern science
is wrong in not accepting the supernatural explanations they put
forward.
The works on display all began
as the result of sketches the artist made while walking and living
in the great forests of his adopted homeland of Finland. At the
core of each work is a dynamic living story that echoes the relationship
between humankind and the environment. The viewer is surrounded
by a forest of information; strings of numbers thread their way
through the gallery like long lines of marching ants, words fall
like leaves to the floor of the gallery.
The texts originate from different
sources some are abstracted,
reduced almost like early Chinese poetry, other come from specific
reference works such as Francis Bacon and Galileo. The artist invites
the viewer to make a distinction between what people consider to
be 'artificial' or 'real', and ultimately to propose questions as
to the presence of a greater collective force than the individual
elements that comprise our world.
Charles Sandison
GALERIA MAX ESTRELLA. Santo Tomé, 6 (patio)
From september 14th until november 4th, 2006
Monday - Friday: 10-14 h. & 16,30-20,30 h. Saturday: 11-14 h.
& 17-20,30 h.
Opening, thursday september 14th at 8 p.m.
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