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Exploring the dynamic interplay of familiar and unfamiliar spaces, the canvas or space becomes a surface that reflects the emergence of new forms. Artist Helen Mauer orchestrates a fairy tale in which new spaces unfold, reflecting images that transcend the boundaries of the known.

Similar to the symphony of responsiveness described by Haraway and Barad, air currents weave an artistic tapestry, creating dynamic balance.

“I am interested in temporary things and work that has a changing element, and for me glass speaks that language and has an ability to make me feel something. By passing light through glass it is possible to create an image that isn't really there, or a different perspective on the piece and that gives me ideas.”

- Helen Maurer

She talked about the key elements of her work (H. Maurer, 2017).

In this creative exploration, the artist engages with the material world with openness and curiosity, mirroring the concept of 'response-ability' as fundamental to animate and inanimate matter. 

The canvas becomes a collaborative space, inviting, welcoming, and enabling responses that change the way we think, feel, and understand.

Just as Haraway urges recognition of responsibility to the worlds we inhabit, the artist's strokes reflect a sense of being concerning the canvas, materials, and emerging forms. 

The assimilation of the old and the new becomes a methodology for engaging with critical issues like the climate crisis, embodying a way of being in the world that is both ethical and experimental.

In the dance between the known and the unknown, the artist, inspired by the ethos of 'response-ability,' transforms the canvas into a realm where familiarity meets novelty, creating an immersive experience that mirrors the urgency and multispecies nature of the Anthropocene.

Reference

Maurer, H. (2017) National Museums Scotland. Available at: https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/global-arts-cultures-and-design/glass-artists/artists/helen-maurer/ (Accessed: 21 Jan 2024).