| Intrigue
and intellect meet in a virtual aesthetic quest.
Paint graceful calligraphies on thick wood. Then
carve the wood into jigsaw shapes to make a puzzle. Take the puzzle
apart and arrange it as a still life. Now make a painting of it.
You can’t look at these canvasses without
mentally engaging in the puzzle. The paintings hang flat on the
wall; but the three-dimensional illusion is so compelling, you
can hardly resist reaching out to slide a piece into place. Bold,
sculptural shapes emphasize a pop art spirit, adding yet another
mischievous layer to the effect.
Wagner’s puzzle paintings are a playful way
to add both dimension and interest to an otherwise featureless
wall. They’re especially refreshing in waiting rooms, lobbies
and anywhere else people appreciate being entertained and challenged
while suspended between worlds.
“I
want the viewer to get caught up in the abstract game set up
by the image: to try to put the puzzle together from the stacked
and scattered pieces represented in the still life. Reassembled,
the puzzle carries the calligraphy; so I’ve made a kind
of reality of my abstractions.”
Puzzle
Paintings Gallery
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