Jan Murphy Gallery is pleased to present ‘Drawn’ by Adelaide-based artist Tim Edwards, his first solo exhibition with the gallery.
Glassblowing favours the brave. It also favours balance. The very nature of blowing glass on a pipe or sculpting it on a punty lends itself to symmetrical forms – to keeping things on centre. In his most recent body of work Tim Edwards jettisons history, convention and to a degree, symmetry. His vitreous sculptures embrace contrapposto – an uneven distribution of weight seen as a breakthrough moment in the history of sculpture.
Just as classical sculptors employed contrapposto to give the human form movement and vitality, Edwards’ throws his forms off centre and they spring to life. Sometimes you’ve gotta break tradition to make it. Caught somewhere between cobalt and ultramarine in hue, these new tilting forms are best read in the round. Seen from all sides they offer up infinite optical effects – lozenges of blue hover and arcs of white light vibrate. This constant shape-shifting mocks their obdurate nature – in Edwards’ hands glass in all its recalcitrance submits to being made magical.
Tim Edwards graduated from Deakin University in Warrnambool (1990) and undertook post-graduate studies at the University of Tasmania in Hobart (1991). In 1992 he became Associate Designer at Adelaide’s JamFactory and is currently the Senior Technician of their Glass Studio. Edwards has exhibited his work internationally in London, The Netherlands, Seattle and New York and in 2018, his work was shown in the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Divided Worlds. His work is held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of Western Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of South Australia, Museum of Glass, Tacoma, USA and Corning Museum of Glass, USA.
Image credit: Tim Edwards, Outline ellipse #7, blown and wheel cut glass, 47.0 x 38.0 x 8.0 cm
