PHOSPHORESCENCE
Ziggy Hadjipateras

The Electric Microcosm
Ben Yates

May 12 – 31 2015

Private views on:
Tuesday May 12th 6.30 – 8.30pm
Thursday May 14th  6.30 – 8.30pm
Sunday May 31st  12.00 – 3.00pm

Open Days:
Wednesday May 20th and
Wednesday May 27th 12.00 – 6.00pm

Viewing by appointment at other times.
For further information contact
Jonathan Ross
by e-mail or phone 020 7370 2239.

PHOSPHORESCENCE - Ziggy Hadjipateras

Phosphorescence is a collection of light photography. It is inspired by the natural process in which energy is absorbed by a substance and then slowly released as particles of light – comprising delayed timescales of re-emission associated with “forbidden” energy state transitions in quantum mechanics. The collection is the artist’s interpretation of the living energy matrix of Mother Earth and the sacred pathway to parallel dimensions and realities of existence.

Ziggy Hadjipateras is based in Athens and works across photography, design, and abstract illustration. With a creative aesthetic influenced by artists such as Peter Lik and David Hockney, it is in the worlds of nature and sacred geometry that she has always found her greatest inspiration – and a consistent foundation that has informed her work.

The Phosphorescence pieces are meticulously produced, tweaked over many weeks in a creative process where each cut, each line and each reflection is carefully considered. The finish is also of the highest quality, in line with the artist’s own aesthetic: printed onto both Aluminium and Perspex to maximize the impact of colour and light.

Born in London to Greek parents, Ziggy Hadjipateras was educated in the UK and Switzerland. Exposed to vibrant and varied landscapes and cultures from a young age, she lived and travelled widely across Asia, Australasia, and Africa, before returning to her roots in Greece. The great outdoors has had an enduring influence, dictating everything from her state of mind to her photographic way of seeing and the way she feels and engages with the world around her. It was in nature that Ziggy first observed and studied light, form and colour, developing the passion for symmetry and asymmetry that is reflected in her works.

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The Electric Microcosm, Ben Yates

Influenced by a love of science, geometry, counter-culture and all things Japanese, in the past few years I have been working to produce series of works best viewed in dark spaces.

They all involve electronics and provide their own illumination. I have always had a love of the aesthetics of electronics, particularly circuitry, which to me has always appeared to be a miniature-scale society.

Adding LED lighting, and a populace of tiny model people, reinterprets the recycled circuit boards into sprawling cityscapes which I encase inside clear acrylic and glass coffee tables. They conjure a highly detailed glimpse into a colourful yet somewhat dystopian future, which double as practical pieces of modern furniture. What makes them particularly intriguing are the tiny people – they bring a host of never-ending urban stories as you follow them on their daily business and shopping trips, back-alley deals and leisure activities.

Functionality has also become a feature of these installations, including such items as CD players/speakers, digital photo frames, and fully working computers.

Along with projections and other electric sculptural innovations, the ‘The Electric Microcosm’ exhibition is a unique sensory experience.