'Between'

For artist Marcus Neustetter the ‘vertical gaze’ is an act of looking, be it up into the night sky and down into the layers of our earth. It is an act of sensitive and intensive observation that brings many answers and even more questions to the observer. These acts have led Neustetter in his artistic processes to working directly with archeologists and astronomers, observing them as they gain more complex understanding of time and space. Both practices look back in time and create recorded history. The elements of light traveling back, or objects buried beneath hold rich evidence to our past as well as point to our futures.

From an archeological perspective “The ‘stuff’ between/around artefacts of an archeological dig is called ‘matrix’. It is all part of the context, without which the ‘finds’ mean nothing. Rather like the silences/pauses between notes that give music its meaning.” Sven Ouzman

The space and stuff in-between is not an unknown entity but contains information one needs to make sense of what is in-situ. Therefore the spoil heap, debris or waste (left behind after sieving and sorting) continues to contain evidence that is important to understanding context and time. The act of digging never destroys but it does radically displace. Similarly debitage or waste flakes that are knocked off in the creation of a tool, indicate the process of conceptualizing and making the tool. The discarded elements, once studied reveal the negative space or space between to be as significant to the context as the object.

It is the displacement of the debris, the negative spaces and those elements, which lie between that Marcus Neustetter focusses on in this exhibition.

NIROXprojects will host an 'Evening with the Artist' on Thursday evening, 02 August, to coincide with the Night Market at Arts on Main, Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg.

22 July - 08 August