ARITHMETICS: Drawings in code by Alexandros Tsolakis
Gerrish Fine Art is proud to present ARITHMETICS, an exhibition of unique works on paper and sculpture by London-based artist Alexandros Tsolakis.
"A point is that which has no part" - quotation from Euclid's 'Elements', c. 300 BC
In this body of work, begun in 2018, Tsolakis creates abstract forms that emerge by point arrangements. Built with code and ink, the intricate drawings feature millions of dots aligned according to elaborate mathematical formulas – mixed with a dose of chaos – and evoke abstract landscapes, celestial masses or forces, even music. Points become particles, rays of light, radial waves intersecting each other, notes of an exploding symphony, or a myriad of stars tilting across our sky.
CRITICAL MASS
An abundance of small dots swirl together, following orbits that create fluid formations. Points dissolve into mass, the artist manipulates the parameters of the code to affect a sense of circulation or flow. The end result appears natural, it suggests movement, a dance between two entities: light and dark, presence and absence. Yet its form emerges through artificial means, a pure act of formal experimentation, an interplay between density and layering.
'Critical Mass 01 & 02', Unique drawings in code, giclée prints on paper, + detail, centre
UNIVERSAL TILT
These Op Art, abstract visualisations, address elements of time, motion, perception, optics and space. We never truly see the entire night sky, the endless stars, galaxies and nebulae that surround us. The stars appear static, eternal, but they span monumental distances at incredible speeds, like us here on Earth. Star trail photos reveal that movement in high definition, making visible our imperceptible movement on earth’s axis. These works simulate this feeling of motion via perceptual play.
'Tilt 0 & Tilt 08', Unique drawings in code, giclée prints on paper, + star trail photo, centre
STREAMS OF EVERYTHING
How do you visualise the enormity of our universe? Galaxies such as our Milky Way, vast objects in themselves, are dwarfed by the magnitude of the universal structure. They appear as small dots on this immense scale, yet contain billions of star systems, and other celestial objects. Trillions of these galaxies stream down cosmic highways, enveloped within endless voids. This series visualises fragments, or abstract close-ups, of these instances of convergence and dispersion within the universe.
'Streams 02, 04, 03 & 06', Unique drawings in code, giclée prints on paper
SYMPHONY
This series of artworks is rooted in the visual language of musical notation; referencing the radical graphic scores of composers such as John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, Cornelius Cardew and Brian Eno. Hundreds of notes/points spring to life on the same vertical axis (time), creating an intricate multilayered soundscape of crescendos, shock waves, swells and echoes. These compositions evoke a fictional score of monumental scale and scope.
'Symphony 06', Unique drawing in code, giclée print on paper + detail, Cornelius Cardrew score
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Alexandros Tsolakis (b.1980) comes from a training in architecture and computation. From 2007 he expanded his practice into installation art as part of the collective United Visual Artists (UVA), presenting pieces at the Barbican, Fondation Cartier and Durham Cathedral. Since going solo, in 2018, he now works as a creative director and master planner, alongside his practice as a visual artist.
