Allison McTaggart’s work is currently being featured at the University of Lethbridge's Gallery. This show is running into January and is an excellent chance to see some contemporary sculpture as well as drawings and various writings. Based out of Vancouver Alison has received various awards including grants from the British Columbia Arts Council, and spends some time teaching at the university level. The force of her practice is primarily conceptual and idea based, creating objects that consist of a fusion of industrial forms as well using found objects. Her early work as an undergraduate in the late ninety’s is an exploration of projectile throwing devises. As Allison explains “I am very interested in the notion of projection specifically metaphorically also our ability of projecting ones voice and the implications that arise from it.” One of her early work deals with impressions that one of these devises would make if used to project objects. A large plaster wall was created to capture impressions and explore their possibilities. She points out “I enjoy the poetic quality of the impression” You find yourself as a viewer drawn to the mark of the object and experiencing a unique visual impression not fully understanding the context in which the impression was made. This uncertainty allows you to internalize the form in a completely different way from its physical purpose.
This interest in the impressions derived from the spoken work inspired the work in two thousand and two of the egg throwing apparatus. Allison was very fascinated with the idea of our ability to project speech and the effects it has on people. Allison explains “I am interested in the activity of speaking and how it can hurt somebody, how it could hurt somebody calling somebody names. Also what this impact would look like and how it would feel.” This process was documented with a series of egg drawings that were exhibited alongside her egg throwing apparatus. Her exploration of the effects of language I find very interesting as she creates visual objects based on an experience and the feelings that are derived from it.
Her current work has lead Allison to create objects that are more interactive in hopes of creating a dialog between the object and the viewer. Looking at forms that are constructed with a specific purpose such as patents she finds inspiration for her current works. The tuning fork seems to resonate with Allison as the ability of this object to reverberate language from one person to another. Allison confirms “this objects has the ability to create a dialog with the viewer and the work of art. The viewer becomes the work.” She likes this idea of objects that could follow language and exploit this back and forth between the viewer and the object. Also in this series of recent works a group of two dimensional drawing breaking down the forms and exposing the process in which they were created. As Allison confirms “the drawings make reference to the parts of the object and explain how the object could be potentially used.” As a viewer you find yourself feeling very tempted, being allowed into the process makes you feel as if you are part of the art work. The drawings also as Allison explains “act as instructional tools giving you the opportunity to accept or reject the art work” I really enjoy this aspect of her work as she creates objects that are presented as forms with what seems a specific purpose. However with further investigation these forms seem to embody multiple meaning and challenge my perceptions and assumptions I have with form.
I would recommend taking some time to experience Allison’s work within the gallery space. Her forms embody many characteristics such as novelty, integrity and utility. Her lecture was an interesting discussion and she presented her unique take on form in today’s contemporary art world
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