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.