Agustín Pecchia

CRYSTAL – 7: In this piece, as much as in the others that are part of the “Red” series, the elaboration process and synthesis comes from scenery, three dimensional space draw by descriptive geometry; in my profession, designs always start in the conjunction of the three cartesian axes x, y, z. Therefore, we could say that every design can be kept in a cube, that in axonometric perspective ends up being an hexagonal graphic that could be decomposed by its diagonals generating 6 equilateral triangles. The cube is as well, the three dimensional representation of a pixel, while the equilateral triangle is the geometrical, bi-dimensional essential and most structurally stable shape. Based on these parameters, in conjunction with the molecular structure of water crystals and snow flakes, I used a 7x9 glass pvc hose – the ones used in architectural constructions to measure levels- in 7cm pieces connected in triangular shapes with white elastic cords which provided a great visual effect when working with black camera and ultraviolet light. On the other hand I found interesting the game placed between the random fragmentation of the hose and the fragmentation of manufacturing data printed on it as a metaphor of the way digital information is stored so that the elastic nature that allows the compression or expansion of the work, this means, the alteration of their aspect ratio leads to the dynamic interaction between viewer and work: the art piece is to touch. The space-time relation is connected to the assembly design, illumination, concrete physical background –specific site- and the interaction with the spectator. The technique election, as much as the materials come from playful and scenery parameters: realization schedules, resistance, weight, dynamism, spontaneity, functionality, etc. as the negative aspects of traditional materials which I started seeing while I worked as a art piece hanger, specially the fragility and weight of the pieces. This is why; all my pieces are designed to be resistant to any kind of crashes, plus a great comprehension that allows the utilization of elastic threats as connecting element.

Free of pre-concepts; it is interesting for me that the spectator has no chance to read a curatorial text since they tend to theorize the artwork using an unnecessary complicated language creating a conceptual barrier for the non-artist spectator. When I design and produce my works I think about kids, I believe they are the best judges, if they don’t like something, they just say: “this is bullshit”, the same the other way round.

I consider myself as a contemporary artists, I research every day to be updated with new Technologies and architectonic and trends, art and design nationally and internationally. My referents are, among others: Ned Kahn, Theo Jansen, Erwin Redl, Dirk Vollenbroich, James Turrell, Jesús R. Soto, Rafael Lozano Hemmer and Pablo Valbuena, architects Ieoh Ming Pei, Santiago Calatrava, Acconci Studio, Coop Himmelblau, the designers Shigeo Fukuda, FOC and scenery professionals Ralph Koltai and Ming Cho Lee. From former generations I love the productions by Leonardo Da Vinci, Piet Mondrian and Marcel Duchamp, play writers Alfred Jarry, Arthur Miller, Roberto Arlt, Agustín Cusani and Antonin Artaud, scenery professionals Sebastiano Serlio, Adolphe Appia and Oskar Schlemer and, architects Buckminster Fuller and Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe.

I’d rather not talk about particular exhibitions or art pieces, I honestly don’t remember ever visiting any exhibition that powerfully called my attention, or even the possibility to attend to that many of them, but I do remember seeing artists productions that called my attention. Among the recognized, the work by Pablo Siquier, León Ferrari and Fabiana Bareda (arteBA 2006, 2007), and Marta Minujín at the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires – Malba- (big iron dolls). Still, I’d rather talk about the less known ones, those who doesn’t got recognition yet and that, I relieve, they Could mark a very interesting tendency in the contemporary art field: Mariana Mattar: (Mendoza, Argentina) I find extremely interesting the game she creates between literary texts, writing concepts, hidden texts used everyday in digital language that bring very deep semiotic concepts. Stella Fernández: (Mendoza, Argentina) her approaches in performance art, of constant investigation on those things that move men and that relate them to their immanent animal instinct. Wustavo Quiroga: (Mendoza, Argentina) Though he doesn’t consider himself as an artists, he is a great example of cultural Management – ED Contemporáneo gallery’s director- with great conscience on artist’s valuation which were forgotten in that city and the permanent job of diffusing emerging art and design. Santiago Bou Grasso: (Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina) His imagining and creative capacity, accuracy and exigency in his animation and illustration work bringing a renewal and quality not often seen in this filed in a Latin American level. Bárbara Drausal: (Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina) the fresh and versatile game of joining opposite technology techniques, watercolour and digital photography to produce a sharply personal and distinctive style. Victoria Arroyo: (Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina) In her, I find very interesting the special-chromatic labour developed in her furniture and object’s intervention series, while her current production seems to me repeated, and somehow –in my point of view- a step backwards in her artistic production Alejandro Taliano: (Buenos Aires, Argentina) His hard work in decomposing and fragmental re-writing based in graphic design guidelines, povera art, pop art, and a definitely personal mark that demark new aspects in art piece’s spatial and limit conceptions. Carmen Rocher: (Buenos Aires, Argentina) I find interesting the mixture of digital and manual work, her graphic Works with organic abstraction graphite in an obvious feminine line. Camilo Guinot: (Buenos Aires, Argentina) His game between light and shadow, fragility and volume in reduced weights, a really admirable accurate work.

On one hand, some kind of stagnation, as if new ideas where something from the past and actually “everything has already been done”. On the other hand, a kind of snobbism, stagnation and repetition of others formulas, things that worked and still do, and that’s why they are repeated, also, a very varied and multifaceted tendency of emerging artists (not always young) that bring a new look on art a critical and innovative vision probably as the products originated in different fields like cinema, theatre, art, literature, graphic design, illustration, management, etc. that may eventually settle a guideline or defines trend, highly visible in the country’s interior.