MFA Year 2 - Artist Talk

“Sprawler” Evan Boggess 2011

Evan Boggess: “My work is attempting to talk about the sublime using sculptural elements. To try and move away from the square shapes. Using shapes to address areas of the paintings that would fall flat. I grew up in West Virginia which left an imprint of giant machines moving mountains in my mind. The name comes from a practice of exploding a wall of rock on the side of the mountain. When there is an issue of the wall falling sideways instead of down, it is called a placier (from placier mining).

I liked the idea of chaining the painting to the wall, as if it was a monster. The usage of these materials to chain are the reasons for the bolts and hanging materials. Video games and cartoons are some of my inspirations and to have a dialogue between the virtual and the real. The pieces are modular and could be shown as just 3 or 4 pieces as well. Being able to take them all a apart and rearranging made for much more exciting combinations.”

Question: “If the work is modular, would it change with other combinations?”

Evan Boggess: “The title comes after the assemblage. After the action of what they are doing. Installed anywhere else, it would be a different piece and would require a new name.”