Structure and Absence

by Craig Burnett

'Structure & Absence' was a group exhibition that featured the Chinese scholar's rock as an organising device or motif. A selection of scholars' rocks were installed in the galleries as unfamiliar objects, disrupting how we usually look at contemporary art. The rocks have a deep but ambiguous history in Chinese culture, acting as objects of both trade and contemplation. Although they are non-figurative objects, their suggestive forms also encourage the viewer to find likenesses of familiar things. Equally, the rocks demand close observation of their surface, structure and material. 'Structure & Absence' invited the viewer to bring this blend of imagination and observation to contemporary art.

78 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011