Counterpoise

Carl Taçon is an artist based near Grand Valley, Ontario. He has exhibited in Canada and the United States and his work is owned by numerous private and public collections. Taçon has completed a number of public art commissions that include; Sky Map, Field Study and Landmarks, three separate but conceptually linked interior commissions (in collaboration with artist Jeannie Thib) for the Bloorview Kids Rehab hospital in Toronto; Passage, a carved marble entrance sculpture for Synagogue Darchei Noam in Toronto; and Shift, an international public art competition to design, fabricate and install a 136’ exterior sculptural wall for a Toronto condominium building, designed by architect Robert Stern. He is currently working on drawn down, commissioned by the Peel Heritage Complex in the City of Brampton, Ontario, that is comprised of an integrated memorial/sculpture to be installed outside of the former Region of Peel Jailhouse. Carl Taçon is represented by Peak Gallery, Toronto.

Counterpoise is composed of two images: one of cascading drapery and a second of radiating waves that are also drapery-like. Both are hand carved in marble, with a honed finish that has a silken dull sheen. The ungrouted spaces between the panels act as shadow lines that delineate a grid. This visual overlay fragments the imagery so that one becomes aware of a relationship of parts within a whole. The grid somewhat abstracts the imagery, moving it away from a literal reading of cloth sections to a sense of flowing motion. The manner in which the art has been hung suggests suspension – hovering a few inches above the floor, it appears weightless despite the weight of the stone. This contrast reinforces the perceptual flow of cloth. By its very nature, the drapery imagery remains somewhat ambiguous, transforming into patterns of water, light & shadow, wind, sand etc. It is imagery that speaks of both natural and man-made elements. In its chosen location, the carved surface captures the indirect natural light that enters the space through the windowed entranceway. The play of light gently animates and changes the look of the wall throughout the day.