Artwork of the Week: November 3
November 9 is “Go to an Art Museum Day,” but here at the MOA we like to celebrate that every day! In honor of the holiday, this week we highlight Plexus no. 29 by Gabriel Dawe. This site-specific work captures the attention of visitors of all ages, causing jaws to drop since its installation. The artwork welcomes each and every person that walks through the doors, and for many, is synonymous with the museum.
“Plexus” refers to a network of systems in the body; similarly, a network is created by these threads and hooks. A gradual change in direction creates the illusion of sweeping curves in the installation. In this particular work, nearly 80 miles of thread weaves back and forth, mimicking the refraction of light through a prism. Dawe doesn’t limit himself to the seven colors of the rainbow, but instead gradually changes from one color to the next, using a particular formula of 16 colors.
Gabriel Dawe, a Mexican American artist, has been interested in textiles since he was little; growing up, he watched his grandmother embroider vibrant fabrics with his sister, a practice prohibited to him by social customs. He is also interested in light—here, he gives the immaterial a tangible form. With the light of the oculus above, Plexus no. 29 changes depending on the time of day and year you view it.
No matter how many times you’ve seen Plexus no. 29, we invite you to come back and view it from another angle! Notice how it looks different everywhere you stand.
