“Cypher” is a sculptural work that deals with the cyclical nature of movement, time and space. Its dimensions are analogous to the size of the artist’s body (184 x 184 cm) minus a few finger widths to hold on to. It consists of twelve carved wooden elements that come together to form a circle. Based on the twelve subdivisions, “Cypher” emphasizes the cyclical and fragmentary nature of human perception of time and, with its portal-like effect, suggests the malleability of the subjective perception of time.
Cypher, 2024
Sculptural Installation
Bronze, latex, steel, leather, wood
40 x 180 x 230cm
Edition: Original, 1/1
The formal language is an extension of the drawing series “Tales Of The Unseen” (2021-current) into the sculptural. The geometric shapes were taken directly from the drawings, digitally translated into the third dimension and then milled into the wood by a CNC machine. The constructivist forms stem from Paris’ personal sense of volume, space and rhythm, which serve as a guide for his improvisations in dance. 3D scans of Paris’ hands and feet and of members of his dance crew “Das Flavour” were digitally twisted, distorted and enlarged and carved into the wood by hand. The distortions, oscillating between the figurative and the abstract, reflect the experience of space and time and how it is felt in a dynamic dance cycle, where moments can appear stretched or compressed. The organic expression of handcrafted production contrasts with technological precision. The time-efficient use of the CNC milling machine, which is suitable for mass production, is complemented by the time-consuming and physical creation of carved originals.
In this way, Timo Paris examines the relationship between modern technology and (artistic) craftsmanship in terms of its artistic potential. The universal character of the circle as a primal symbol refers not only in terms of content but also on a sensory level to the experiential nature of being human. The title “Cypher” originates from the communal aspect of the dance style Breaking – the dance circle of the same name, in which dancers showcase their movements, challenge each other and find new forms of expression together. The collective identity that arises from this shared movement can be felt through the sculptures. The work itself evokes the endless, cyclical and form-generating nature of dance in “Cypher”, in which the flow of movement and constant adaptation to the dynamics of the group become a kind of physical and energetic conversation. The depiction of the collective experience of movement in the dance circle thematizes the circle as a primal form of collective exchange of knowledge and experience, in which the potential of the human body is cultivated as a knowing entity. By placing it in the concrete corner, Timo Paris refers back to the cinematic work “SCRUPUS” (2023), whereby the interplay of camera, architecture and dance overrides the rules of gravity and imposes a perspectival puzzle on the viewer. In contrast to the centered attention in “Foothand”, the focus is deliberately left free for a dynamic perspective.
All axes of the three-dimensional space can be grasped in a reduced form and rudimentary materiality. Paris’ interest in the relationship between the body and the work consists in understanding this as a framework condition for the creation of moments of physical consciousness. This is particularly evident in the positioning of the work in the Kunsthaus Baselland above the stairs to the second floor. The enclosure of the body by a concrete corridor, which also leads upwards, generates a tunnel view, at the end of which a portal-like object centers the view. The suction-like effect is intensified with each approaching step, whereby the disorientation is reinforced by the difference in height. The movement on the staircase creates a change of perspective that is atypical for exhibition situations, as the vertical is included. The walk along the ascending tunnel requires physical presence to locate the space and thus becomes a meditative moment of conscious, sensual perception.