Shed Light

Studio Tekni
Naarm/ Melbourne, Australia

May 3 — May 12
2024

Shed Light
Exhibition Statement
2024

Knowing Anything Is An Exercise In Loss

“Science and the rationality of the city have granted us insights into the working of 'nature', while simultaneously obscuring other relations to the stabilised image we effortlessly christen "nature". To illuminate is to obscure; to gain clarity by turning to a source of light is to create new shadows. Knowing anything is an exercise in loss, in complementary postures foregone, in sensations exchanged, in stabilities reinforced, in fools suffered. Something is always missing. The question isn't if my version or your version of the world is true; it is not if 'anything goes'; it is: what natures are we co-performing, and what worlds have had to die for them?”

— Báyò Akómoláfé

Shed Light continues Taj Alexander's artistic journey into the emotional realm that emerges at the crossroads of colour, light, and form.
          From his formative years, Alexander was captivated by the weathered, corrugated iron sheds that dotted the landscape of his rural Tasmanian hometown. This fascination persisted, even as he transitioned to the urban environment of inner Melbourne, where the presence of the material continued to be a source of inspiration.
          Over time, Alexander became increasingly drawn to the material's emotional qualities. In particular, the dappled light that moves across the tube-like surface of the linear waveform, distorting shadows of neighbouring trees in a hypnotic yet subtle manner. The material's ability to embody the atmosphere of the surrounding environment became a key interest that led to the creation of his ‘Corry-Works’.
          The colour palettes that embody the atmosphere and emotion of these observed moments were discovered through Alexander's love of film, where the ambiguous, blurred backgrounds became a source of inspiration. Collecting snippets of these soft-focus palettes, Alexander found a connection with these abstracted film-scapes that spoke to the intangible 'in-between' space he was seeking to express.
          "In this material and these memories, I find references to a deeply emotional, nostalgic part of my history and a desire to understand my place within it. It's not necessarily a sentimental sense of nostalgia but a feeling or atmosphere that calls to me. It's a contemplative and mysterious feeling that can't always be defined. I find this experience captivating because it is so elusive. Within this space, we can learn to embrace uncertainty and strengthen our relationship with ourselves and our environment."
           Alexander creates an intangible yet immersive space by combining the architectural form of corrugated metal with the complex diffusion of hues in the colour palettes discovered lurking in the corners of film and cinema. The work offers an invitation to spend time in this elusive 'in-between' experience that is, in many ways, a form of meditation. As viewers, we are gently seduced into a moment of self-reflection to look beyond the image and into the void and ultimately shed light on our relationship with the unknown.

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