Fascinated by astronomy, all of Rockburne’s drawings in the exhibition find their source in cosmological phenomena. Contemporary artists have been depicting the heavens for years, such as Vija Celmins and her comets and Saturn or the strings of constellations seen in the recent paintings of Jasper Johns. The basis for Rockburne’s work is studied observation and intuition. Interpretations, rather than illustrations, these abstract works combine vivid color with delicately textured surfaces. The panel drawings Pegasus and Universes forecasted later confirmed findings - the presence of a sun in the constellation Pegasus and the coexistence of several universes. The inspiration for the kaleidoscope-like Tearful Sisters is the Greek myth about the origins of the Pleiades. Other works make visual largely intangible experiences, such as the seasonal movement of light through Rome’s Pantheon pictured in the drawing Sphere and the interaction of particles and energy in Vortex and Particle and Wave.
ISBN: 0-9677573-0-4
Interview: Amy Sandback
Softcover, 40 pages
Out of Print