 
ARTnews, 2014 |
Processing Natural Order:
Sky Pape at June Kelly Gallery One of the most striking of these is the moment-to-monent play of natural elements of the works. As the breeze blew in June Kelly's Broadway gallery, so the layers of paper subtly rippled; as the afternoon shadows lengthened on the walls, so the changing light transformed the physical surfaces of the pictures. In Drift (1999), splattered dots of dark ink randomly spot the gleaming white terrain. Dabbing color onto the uppermost strips, the artist allowed the ink to soak through the layers haphazardly. The finished work is an ingenious realization of the processes and unpredictability of time. "Driven by the existence and effects of incomprehensible, random forces within a rational system of implied order," Pape's words find their apotheosis in The Last Letter, (1998). With its segmented landscape of bleeding, frayed edges, the picture suggests unfinished business. Not least for the choice of Japanese materials and the simple uncluttered lines, Pape's work reflects a strong Eastern influence. The stiff parchment pleats recall the designs of Issey Miyake, while thematically, the focus on the random processes of nature glances toward Buddhist teaching. Pape's works adorn the walls of galleries, private homes, and corporations, yet unsurprisingly, she would like to see her works displayed in a place for meditation.
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