30 October 2017

Project Space 1, The Art School, Glasgow.

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Aquascaping was an exhibition inspired by fish tanks and YouTube personalities within the aquarium hobbyist subculture, combined with an ongoing investigation into the notion of the sublime and themes of 'hypermasculinity' in abstract art. The exhibition was a manifestation of my interests in the form of sketches, paintings and sculptures of imagined environments that trace references and iconography sourced from my memory.

Recently I have developed a body of research around 'aquascapers' who post weekly vlogs of their fish tanks, fish rooms, and aquarium 'galleries', and who have created an online presence within this subculture. Im interested in why they make these videos and the identity they develop as they become an icon within their coterie. What fascinates me most about aquariums is the glass or plastic box itself and the vessel of water contained, and how the flow and colour of the water can be controlled, altering the shape and perception of the objects submerged within it.

This show was an inquiry into the world of aquascaping and the aesthetic of the sublime.