megan geckler: spread the ashes of the colors

details of ‘spread the ashes of the colors’ all images courtesy of megan geckler

los angeles-based artist megan geckler has created a site-specific architectural installation at the wexner center for the arts in columbus, ohio. constructed from interlacing strips of vibrantly colored flagging tape, the work entitled ‘spread the ashes of the colors’ hovers above and surrounds visitors in the institution’s café and lobby areas.

installation view

the piece was originally envisioned to be completely white, however, because of its complexity, geckler decided to use a CMYK color process, referencing basic art techniques, and to avoid making the installation seem too intense as a monochrome form.

the installation is constructed from vibrantly colored flagging tape

here is an excerpt of a interview conducted between megan geckler and laura lisbon, a professor in ohio state’s department of art about her work:

LL: is it fair to say that digital tools are essential to your work? it has been said that was true for deconstructive architects to be able to visualize and produce the radical fragmentation of their spaces. what do you gain – or lose – with the use of 3D rendering tools?

MG: I gain the ability to see a space and really understand the way that the architecture was conceived. by building the space in a 3D modeling program, we essentially rebuild the structure from start to finish, so we get to know a lot of privileged information that might slip by someone who hasn’t worked directly with the blueprints. we are able to show curators what to expect, which is helpful in terms of submitting proposals. also, with this level of preliminary work and preparation, the installation could essentially become like a sol lewitt piece that’s simply a set of instructions. but I like having my hand in the work and climbing all over the lifts and ladders.

the loss involves the inability to render something like flagging tape, a wafer-thin material. we can’t render translucency of the material, so we can have only a rough idea of how the piece will look. also, when ‘viewing’ space on the program, it is difficult to get the human experience. cameras and models are stand-ins for the real thing. nothing beats walking through a space and experiencing it with your eyeballs.

the tape is wrapped around the building’s supporting structure as well as interlaced within each other creating a canopy