Heft: Weight and Touch in Contemporary Sculpture

Artist Katayoun Dowlatshahi & Exhibitions Curator Kirsty Nutbeen

 "Heft" at the Winchester Discovery Centre's Galley  is an exhibition of a dozen contemporary artists selected by sculptor Tony Hayward.










For an exhibition aimed at the investigation of weight, density, and tactile qualities in sculpture, I was surprised to not only find quite a few paper based 2d works but also that they seemed to be the more intriguing pieces.

Katayoun Dowlatshahi and her work "Light Lives"

At first glance, Katayoun Dowlatshahi's monochrome prints "Light Lines" seems to be blank sheets of paper where the shadows from the lights in the gallery creates the diffused grey washes playing across the surface. I am tempted to "touch" the light sources and interfere with the work, but at a closer inspection one realizes they are actually photographic prints of light seeping through windows in an unknown location. This understated duality of time/space in Dowlatshahi's piece is beautiful.

French artist Fabien Villon has created an conceptually interesting paper sculpture based upon mono-prints of the broken windshields from crashed cars. It would be interesting to see how he takes this idea further.

Before leaving the gallery I find myself hovering in front of Liane Lang's photograph that I earlier only glances at. Originally drawn to question the obvious casting mold partitions on the classical sculpture I soon moved on to contemplating my uncomfortableness with the figure laying in the sculptures arms. Is it the posture, the twist of the body, the hollowness of the torso? Something seems oddly off and it is fascinating.

Later I am informed that the figure is in fact a silicone/wax
replica of a person and not a real human being. I almost wish I had not been told.



Before leaving I also had a chance to get a glimpse of the Cathedral that had just been showcased as a backdrop for BBC's Antiques Roadshow.

Lecture on my art practice at aspex gallery

Image by Fiona Price 2010 

One evening I gave a lecture on my art practice at aspex gallery, that followed by some interesting Q & A.

Here I am speaking about my experience building the large inflated iceberg that was shown
part of the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007.

Image by Fiona Price 2010 

And this image is from a still unrealized project of 50 hanging silicone sculptures that interact with the viewer leading them through a labyrinth. During my residency at Sculpturespace, NY I developed a prototype (see image below) of one of the figures but still looking for the right framework to realize it.

Opening at aspex gallery

Opening of 2009 artist-in-residence Frauke Materlik's exhibition " The distant near " at aspex gallery.

Art Space people enjoying fish and chips at the dockyards where the ferries from Isle of Wight and France came and went right by our table reminding me of living on the houseboat in the San Francisco bay and Otis > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzrXc68gNjQ

The first days.

The day after I arrived from Gothenburg, I met with Natalie Dowse at the Art Space Portsmouth where she gave me the keys to the space that was going to be my studio for the next 3 months. It is perfect and has everything an artist can wish for: natural light, good ceiling height, an industrial sink and for a sculptor the very important elevator since it is on the second floor.
I am very happy and excited to get going with my project.

Since the weekend came up fast I took the opportunity on the suggestion of my home away from home host(ess) Katayoun Dowlatshahi to explore Portsmouth and Southsea by following the Millennium Chain. A great walk that took almost the whole day and led me through the historical waterfront.

Josefina Posch

Josefina Posch's work has been exhibited in Europe, China and the USA. She has also successfully completed residencies in New York and Shanghai.

Josefina's work explores interactive and kinetic sculpture, new media and moving image, with particular interest in the 'intersection between man and machine'.

You can find out more about Josefina and her work here.

In My Secret Life - Det Stora Vidunderliga

Copyright: Josefina Posch. Photography: Arne-Kjell Vikhagen, 2010