Oscar Tuazon

“An object, actually, that doesn’t need any kind of support structure. It doesn’t need a wall, it doesn’t need lights, it doesn’t even need to be displayed inside. It’s just a thing. It can be left outside, left alone. It doesn’t even need to be looked at. And so it remains stubbornly abstract. Abstract in the sense that it doesn’t need anyone. It can function on its own, but the only function the object is capable of performing is that of an artwork, useless and inexplicable. To put it another way, the work is onanistic.” Oscar Tuazon

Oscar Tuazon has been working for some years on sculptures that clearly reference the formal language of architecture. While earlier works approached functional aspects of architecture, recent works focus on the materiality of utilized substances. Building materials like cement, wood, glass and metal are often used against their actual purpose, and thereby develop new aesthetical qualities and implications. An important method of the artist is to examine examples of architecture that are developed or built directly by its users. He is inspired by the ingenuity of spontaneous settlements and improvised usage of building materials to create habitats. Read more of this article here.