Paul St George hit the headlines earlier this year with his public installation ‘Telectroscope’. Made out to resemble a huge ‘telescope’ that allowed members of the public to ‘see’ from London’s Southbank to New York City, the conceptual piece was actually a cleverly thought out work that used broadband technology to suggest viewers could see all the way though the depths of the earth from one city to another.
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St. George’s previous work has included the self titled ‘Minumental Sculpture’ series; mini-sculptural pieces that are beautifully executed tiny versions of key works of twentieth century, such as Anthony Gormley’s ‘Angel of The North’ and Rachel Whiteread’s ‘Ghost’. Generally known only through photographic images, St George wanted to immortalise these monumental works in sculptural form. With the experience of physical size, scale, monumentality, uniqueness and location excised, only the concept remains intact. St George’s sculptures provide both a delightful ‘shrinking’ thrill and a wry insight into well-known conceptual works’ actual reliance on sensuous qualities like size and physical presence.
One of St George’s most recent works is the quirky ‘Duckrabbit’. As its title suggests, the cleverly crafted piece can be one of two shapes, depending on how it sits; the shadow depicting the opposite image. During the artist’s ongoing research into the use of ambiguity in art, St. George thought it would be entertaining to make the ‘Duckrabbit’ as a real object. The artist states: “According to Wollheim you can see the rabbit or the duck, but not both at the same time.” Turn your head from side to side to decide for yourself.
Making contemporary art more accessible while inviting a sceptical reassessment of art itself, St George’s conceptual work and witty writings have featured in numerous publications, including Art Review, Creative Review and Art Monthly.