My drawings are both maps and illusions of physical space. I am interested in how space and form can accurately be described two-dimensionally using a linear language, and subsequently, how we are able to interpret topographic lines as a way of comprehending physical space.
The evocative, finely drawn lines in Al Denyer’s drawings play purposeful tricks on our eyes—suggesting both distant scans of vast spaces and close-up examinations of specimens, the views of satellites and microscopes. Indeed, environmental photographs of all kinds inspire her work. From pictures of melting Arctic Sea ice to images of abandoned urban landscapes, her work is rooted in an effort to better understand our impact on a range of landscapes. With obsessive, repetitive marks made in white ink on black paper, she translates these images into abstractions—ones that encourage us to slow down and pay careful attention.
