Topography
Select work from the series
In recent months, much of what came to dominate my thoughts revolved around the notion of space. Today, many of us have been forced to reconcile adjustments in the way we relate to space, to the way we go about work, attend school, or interact with peers and loved ones. Many of us, too, have observed and felt first-hand the consequences of these adjustments, from the stress of isolation to shortages resulting from disruptions in global trade. News and other media abound in articles relating to self-care, revealing yet another adjustment many have been forced to make: a relationship to the self and its vast interior landscape. Many seem to naturally lack the mechanisms required to navigate this unseen space, and so they lean on tools like online therapy, alcohol, or conspiracy websites to find ways to orient themselves in this unfamiliar terrain.
The topography of life has changed.
This series emerged from my reflections on this new paradigm. It represents a change in the way I approach art, as well, a journey out of the representational domain into more conceptual territory. These pieces were meant to evoke and emote, to serve as visual metaphors for the dynamism and randomness of transformation, and to mimic the texture of experience. Like the firing of neurons during a novel event, the cascade of emotions in moments of high valence, or the internal gleam arising from newfound order, this series aims to convey a shift in viewers’ subjective milieu and to illuminate the contours of their own unique internal topography.
— Nick Thornburg, January 2021
Process
The work in this series was created utilizing material found entirely within the home and studio of Nick Thornburg. During the height of pandemic-related shutdowns and the subsequent shortages and disruptions in commerce, Thornburg committed to creating Topography with material he had on hand. Much of that material came in the form of previously used canvases, fiberboard, nearly-empty bottles of forgotten paint, plastic bags, and open bottles of epoxy resin. Even the frames used in the series have been repurposed from unseen work stored in Thornburg’s studio. The creation of the series was guided by a philosophy of transformation, an attempt to make something beautiful out of life’s detritus.
While the series was made from repurposed and recycled material, it still complies with Thornburg’s strict archival practices. The resin used in the art making process is derived from museum conservation-grade materials to ensure its water-clear clarity is preserved for decades. It includes a UV stabilizing additive as well as HALS (hindered amine light stabilizer), for extremely efficient long term yellowing protection.
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