The artist first introduced the idea of voluminous fabric into her painting back in 2014, and has developed the technique since. ‘I was fascinated by the thought of folding space. I was interested in taking this vast surface and shrinking it by folding or, actually, hiding the entirety of what’s there. I understand a painting as something that, as we view it, travels through us and realigns our connections with the world,’ Grosse described.
Painting directly onto existing architecture, interiors and landscapes she incorporates reams of fabric, mounds of earth and slabs of concrete. Grosse envelops Carriageworks in more than 8,000 square metres of suspended fabric-draped, knotted and hung through the architectural elements of the building. The guest audience have the opportunity are immerse themselves within
Katharina Grosse’s great canvas.
‘It describes that moment when you go into the kitchen because you wanted to get the car keys, and then all of a sudden you don’t know why you are there… and in that moment you realise something else about yourself, something that you can’t describe; that you’re on this planet and that the scent in the air is beautiful; you are somewhere, going someplace, but then you halt; then you think “That’s what I’m doing”… and so that’s a little bit of what we are doing. It also refers to my absurd need for a really huge surface to paint on…’ She comments.
‘The Horse Trotted Another Couple Of Metres, Then It Stopped’ is presented free to the public from now through April 8, 2018 as part of
Sydney Festival 2018.
