The classical confines of London’s Thomas Dane Gallery have been reinvigorated with a vibrant new survey of Barbara Kasten’s abstract works. On view through 25 May, ‘Intervals’ comprises a tightly edited overview of the Chicago-based artist's oeuvre, which spans four decades and counting. Contrary to her stature, this is, in fact, her very first UK solo show and is testament to both her drive and inquisitive nature.
Kasten often refers to her work as ‘painting in motion’, which feels apt. Her practice involves assembling large geometric constructions using props crafted from light sensitive fabrics such as glass, mirrors and metal, and then photographing them in her studio. The conclusion is dynamic, theatrical and often perplexing. Light bounces from form to form, creating an intriguing spatial interplay between line, shape, colour and shadow.
'Construct VI D', by Barbara Kasten, 1981
Most recently, Kasten has poured her energy into transforming her photo-art stills into moving images. In Revolutions (2017), she reveals a playful mixed media projection in which light is filmed moving through a large-scale set of her signature components at three-minute intervals. ‘It took many sessions to get it right,’ she said. ‘In the end, my assistant and I developed a coordinated technique for filming that became a sort of dance routine.’ The work, which was inspired by the suprematist drawings of Kazimir Malevich, was beamed into the entrance of the space, throwing bright geometric shapes across the walls and ceiling. ‘It looks a little faded by day, but at night it’s really something,’ she added.
In the adjacent room, a small selection of early prints from her iconic series Construct proves just as compelling. Conceived during the late 1970s and early 80s, the series drew upon her enduring affinity for constructivism – consisting of staged theatrical tableaus that were captured using a large view camera. Elsewhere, her use of neon Plexiglas in the more recent photo progressions Collisions (2016) and Transpositions (2014 - 2016) is sure to intrigue viewers, who can attempt to decipher which forms are physically present and which are simply Kasten’s clever illusions.
Construct X B, 1981
Construct Iii D, 1980
Left, Scene III, 2012. Right, Transposition 24, 2016
INFORMATION
’Intervals’ is on view until 25 March. For more information, visit the Thomas Dane Gallery website
ADDRESS
3 & 11 Duke Street
London SW1Y 6BN
-
All-In is the Paris-based label making full-force fashion for main character dressingPart of our monthly Uprising series, Wallpaper* meets Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø of All-In, the LVMH Prize-nominated label which bases its collections on a riotous cast of characters – real and imagined
-
Maserati joins forces with Giorgetti for a turbo-charged relationshipAnnouncing their marriage during Milan Design Week, the brands unveiled a collection, a car and a long term commitment
-
Through an innovative new training program, Poltrona Frau aims to safeguard Italian craftThe heritage furniture manufacturer is training a new generation of leather artisans
-
‘Humour is foundational’: artist Ella Kruglyanskaya on painting as a ‘highly questionable’ pursuitElla Kruglyanskaya’s exhibition, ‘Shadows’ at Thomas Dane Gallery, is the first in a series of three this year, with openings in Basel and New York to follow
-
The art of the textile label: how British mill-made cloth sold itself to Indian buyersAn exhibition of Indo-British textile labels at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru is a journey through colonial desire and the design of mass persuasion
-
Artist Qualeasha Wood explores the digital glitch to weave stories of the Black female experienceIn ‘Malware’, her new London exhibition at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, the American artist’s tapestries, tuftings and videos delve into the world of internet malfunction
-
Ed Atkins confronts death at Tate BritainIn his new London exhibition, the artist prods at the limits of existence through digital and physical works, including a film starring Toby Jones
-
Tom Wesselmann’s 'Up Close' and the anatomy of desireIn a new exhibition currently on show at Almine Rech in London, Tom Wesselmann challenges the limits of figurative painting
-
A major Frida Kahlo exhibition is coming to the Tate Modern next yearTate’s 2026 programme includes 'Frida: The Making of an Icon', which will trace the professional and personal life of countercultural figurehead Frida Kahlo
-
A portrait of the artist: Sotheby’s puts Grayson Perry in the spotlightFor more than a decade, photographer Richard Ansett has made Grayson Perry his muse. Now Sotheby’s is staging a selling exhibition of their work
-
From counter-culture to Northern Soul, these photos chart an intimate history of working-class Britain‘After the End of History: British Working Class Photography 1989 – 2024’ is at Edinburgh gallery Stills
