A fresh perspective

I am a fan of art, in particular the Impressionists like Monet, Manet, Pissarro and Sisley; however I have never written about art or done an art review.

One of the highlights of my travels was a recent trip to the Musee D’Orsay in Paris. My girlfriend and I like to visit the independent galleries as well and on one such trip recently I was privileged to view an exhibition by Paul Selwood entitled ‘Perspective Cut-outs’, a series of wall mounted sculptures.

I have included a pictorial link that showcases the exhibition: http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/Selwood/tinsheds09.html

Perspective Cut-outs – Paul Selwood
Tin Sheds Gallery, University of Sydney

It's amazing how easily the eye can be tricked into seeing things that are not there; how easily the mind can be entertained by manipulating dimensions.

MC Escher pieces always fascinated me; the way he bent the laws of dimension, the eyes and mind fooled into seeing something that does not, or cannot, exist.

In Selwood’s work, the viewer is offered wondrous perspective – shapes that seem to bulge outwards from the wall, hovering above the polished concrete floor – seemingly three dimensional pieces that, as it happens, are nothing more than two dimensional.

Upon first viewing it seems you are seeing a solid, wooden, carved sculpture; a piece with substance and form. As you move in a 180 degree arc, around the objects, the laws of perspective are reversed; instead of a side view offering more detail, it offers less. This is a curious experience as the brain is tricked. You know you are seeing something as it is, yet it seems manipulated. And the wood is not wood, it is graded and worked steel, shaded with rust and human effort to create the illusion of depth and perspective.

Also the pieces are large. You feel as if you could walk up and climb on the structure, or if tired, recline on one of the horizontal arms. When it becomes apparent that the structure is in 2D, 5mm thick, and mounted on a whitewashed wall, it is hard to fathom.

‘Perspective Cut-outs’ is a triumph. Selwood has achieved evoking instant emotion from the viewer; awe, wonder, gratification and disappointment. Although simplistic in form, the pieces are complicated in effect; fooling the brain into seeing something that does not exist.

This is art to be experienced, not just viewed; changing the way I view perspective forever.