Diffracted Light
Diffracted Light | Brian Gustafson
March 4, 2016 - April 19, 2016
601 West 57th Street (The Hudson Eatery)
New York, NY
Nearest Trains: A, C, B, D, 1
Open Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 12-8pm
Viewable 24/7 in window to the left of the main restaurant entrance.
Diffracted Light is a site-specific light installation located in the window of the Self Exploratorium, exploring "acts of desperation to create beauty." Its lights and colors act as a respite from sadness or pain. It is praying for rainbows. It is a quixotic endeavor.
As light passes through the diffraction film installed across the storefront window, thousands of small laser-cut lines break it apart into the full color spectrum. During the day, the enormous amount of natural light the building receives is channeled into a prismatic presence which moves, highlights, and transforms the space within. At night, a light source inside the storefront projects an apparition of light and a shimmering of color out towards viewers on the street.
About the Artist
Brian Gustafson is an artist living and working in the NY metro area. He enjoys the activity of making objects and fabricates "devices that heighten human experience and sensitize viewers to the experience of empathy." His work consists of interactive and kinetic devices, as well as, sculpture. He often utilizes simple, natural phenomena, such as: light, air, color, darkness, water, gravity, and magnetism.
Driven by questions of empathy and a desire to connect to others through acts of making, Gustafson sees art as a social activity and the role of an artist as a choice in how one engages others in dialogue.
His work explores the dynamics of ‘empathy’ and how we can facilitate human connection in the things we make. He advocates for the capacity to be considerate of others and believes conversations about such consideration can lead to more compassionate and humane interaction between peoples.
Brian Gustafson received an MFA from Illinois State University and a BFA from Tulane University. He has exhibited nationally and received numerous awards, including the New Jersey Council of the Arts Fellowship. He is currently Professor of Sculpture at New Jersey City University.
To set up an appointment or for more information, please contact: info@bgustafson.net
