Monika Wulfers

Lives and works in Racine, WI, USA

Artist statement

My work represents a unique abstraction of visual and spatial concepts. The concept of 'line', a mark made on or in a surface, is an invention like systems of letters and ciphers. Systems of writing, numerals, and lines are objective units, which serve as organizing elements of reality. I am working with the relationship of these units. Abstract components of space are described in two and three dimensions. Coordinate systems are used to show connections between specific points and unseen spatial relationships are delineated, eliminating arbitrary gesture and subjective design. Light pieces are made from commercially available materials. Fabricators weld and bend glass tubes, load the gas, and plasma-cut and powder coat the steel plates. Steel plates are backlit with LEDs to emphasize the cut out numbers. Rigid glass tubes are connected with specialized flexible wiring. I have used tubes 96, 84, 73, and 36 in long with diameters of 12 mm, 15 mm, and 18 mm. Compound miters gave me the idea how to place the light tubes in space. By adding a vertical angle to shapes like triangles or squares my polygons are arranged within a cubic grid and become lines of light arranged in space.

Artwork