Troy Simmons (USA)
Opposition dominates the work of Troy Simmons. Inspired by the dissonant relationship between man and nature, the artist explores possibilities for a stable coexistence of opposites. Simmons gives power to systematic structures and the vibrant and destructive forces that undermine and exist beneath them.
With a background in Environmental Science and Architectural Design, Simmons creates scenes that teem with life within the rigid constructions that constrain them. Recalling the emergence of vegetal growth from sidewalk crevices, Simmons’ sculptures juxtapose somber concrete and aluminum against vibrant splashes of acrylic paint. Echoing the artist’s fascination with nature and modern Brutalist Architecture, medium identifies Simmons’ works as contemporary manifestations of the 1960s Arte Povera movement, transforming foundational building materials into vessels of aesthetic creation.
Dichotomous concept and medium serve as a physical investigation of what Simmons refers to as ‘incompatible binary relationships’. We see only glimpses of nature’s potential for power, and it is otherwise hidden by man’s systematic constructions. Simmons’ work takes the psychedelic experience as it might exist in a modern city, with indulgence in the power and energy in nature as it ruptures— like tree’s roots splitting sidewalk— the structures we have made to make our lives convenient. Deliberate and overt, such opposition knocks viewers off balance, resulting in a psychedelic experience of Simmons’ work.
With a background in Environmental Science and Architectural Design, Simmons creates scenes that teem with life within the rigid constructions that constrain them. Recalling the emergence of vegetal growth from sidewalk crevices, Simmons’ sculptures juxtapose somber concrete and aluminum against vibrant splashes of acrylic paint. Echoing the artist’s fascination with nature and modern Brutalist Architecture, medium identifies Simmons’ works as contemporary manifestations of the 1960s Arte Povera movement, transforming foundational building materials into vessels of aesthetic creation.
Dichotomous concept and medium serve as a physical investigation of what Simmons refers to as ‘incompatible binary relationships’. We see only glimpses of nature’s potential for power, and it is otherwise hidden by man’s systematic constructions. Simmons’ work takes the psychedelic experience as it might exist in a modern city, with indulgence in the power and energy in nature as it ruptures— like tree’s roots splitting sidewalk— the structures we have made to make our lives convenient. Deliberate and overt, such opposition knocks viewers off balance, resulting in a psychedelic experience of Simmons’ work.
