"Plexus" Installations; By Gabriel Dawe
Gabriel Dawe was born in Mexico City where he grew up surrounded by the intensity and color of Mexican culture. After working as a graphic designer, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 2000. In search for creative freedom he started experimenting and creating artwork, which eventually led him to explore textiles and embroidery — activities traditionally associated with women and which were forbidden for a boy growing up in Mexico. By working with thread and textiles, he creates site-specific installations that explore the connection between fashion and architecture, and how they relate to the human need for shelter in all its shapes and forms. After living in Montreal, Canada for 7 years, he moved to Dallas, Texas.
His works have been exhibited in the US, Canada, Belgium, and the UK. Also they have been featured in numerous publications around the world, including Sculpture magazine, the cover of the 12th edition of Art Fundamentals published by McGraw-Hill, and in author Tristan Manco’s book Raw + Material = Art.
Named for the network of blood vessels or nerves that run throughout the body and form connections, he has gained renown for his large-scale Plexus series of installations of sewing thread, though he also creates works on paper as well as other media. Gabriel Dawe’s installations of multicolored thread engage the eye and challenge our perception of space. At first, you may think you see a full spectrum of projected light: a rainbow of saturated hues shimmering on the walls and the floor. But as you approach, you begin to perceive that the color comes not from a projection, but from thousands of individual threads strung throughout the space. In an astounding, painstaking process, the artist uses miles of thread mounted between hooks in the walls and floor to create experiences of eye-popping color and form.
References:
www.stateoftheart.crystalbridges.org
