From the Windows Series, 2004.
Left: Southeast Corner, West Light (low), paint on wall, 7 x 12 ft (private residence)
Right: North Wall, Southeast Light, paint on wall, 15 x 9 ft (Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn, NY)Introducing Mary Temple
Being that I’m currently living in an apartment without enough natural light, I’ve always been drawn (like a moth to a flame!) to Temple’s trompe l’oeil paintings that appear to be light and shadow cast on a wall from a nearby window. Most often installed in rooms where there is little or no natural light, nor corresponding windows, these paintings have an ingenious way of tricking the eye… at least, happily, for a little while.
Window commission, 2003, latex paint on site.Other investigations of light and shadow include these paper rooms that open up to reveal paintings like those from the Windows series – small boxes of light.
Paper Room, GRN 3, 10 2006 dimensions variable, 10" x 12.5" x 8.5" when mounted on wall. Acrylic on paper
Paper Room, BLGR 4, 16 2006 dimensions variable, acrylic on paperHer Postcard Skies photo collages juxtapose the façades of her Brooklyn neighbor’s homes against the expansive skies of the American Southwest (where she lived before moving to New York).
bluescallopsgreenclapboard 2004, 24 x 18” photo collage
pinkfauxwoodgrain 2004 30 x 18, photo collageIn the artist’s words, “Removing the windows from the photos seemed to allow the buildings to breathe, and their façades looked like bright open faces posing for a snapshot. I obliged. Perhaps they’d like to travel? I described what I know--the Grand Canyon, Coyote Springs, Oak Creek Canyon, Prescott Valley, Granite Dells. They agreed, having always wanted to see a bit of the Southwest.“
yellowclapboardpolkadot 2004, 18 x 24, photo collageAll photo collages are in editions of 3 and are mounted on Sintra with UV laminant and placed in a whitewashed frame
And these two drawings are from the "One Million Elipsoids" project where Temple repeated a single ellipse-like shape 1,000,000 times, creating drawings in series, each containing anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 ellipsoids drawn in ink. Each day's work adds to the previous number of ellipsoids in the continuum toward 1,000,000.
439,500 - 441,500, 2002 31 x 36, pigmented ink on Denril vellum
460,500 - 462,000, 2002 31 x 36, pigmented ink on Denril vellumMary Temple’s work is available through the Mixed Greens gallery here in NYC.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Oh, lovely.
I love the wall paintings.
Having moved from a small apartment in which the only windows opened to other exterior walls... the selling point of my condo was that it's on the third floor and I can watch light play upon my hardwood floors, leaves dance on my walls, streams of sunlight streak across my livingroom wall as the sun dips behind the mountains (even if I can't see the mountains from here!).
Even at night, the streetlamp lights bend through my sheer curtains and cast leaves and branches upon my bedroom wall and ceiling!
I'm such a sucker for natural light - I don't buy into window dressing - why block it? (I only bought the window sheers because A) a visiting friend freaked out on me - and B) the bedroom is where I change clothes!)
This is genius! This is the perfect effect for a room I'm planning on doing! The room has no window, no natural light, but it needs an effect to help bring some nature into it!
Awesome!
Looks amazing!
Thank-you for posting this. Love it. I'm always trying to photograph this effect(the real thing).
Wonder what some good whites would be for recreating this at home? More grey in one?
Wasn't there a wallpaper study done along the same lines recently? Can anyone remind me?
Thanks Amy for spreading the word about Mary Temple!
We have a permanent, site-specific light painting here at the gallery, that is always on view. If you are in Chelsea, please come by and check it out. Temple is also currently in a group show at the Jewish Museum through February 4th. If anyone has any questions, I would be happy to answer them.
P.S. The gallery, Mixed Greens, is located at 531 W. 26th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.
Thanks!
Oh! I remember seeing her photos in the subway or someplace like that. It's so nice to see other work!