STEPHANIE JANE BURT

Metal, iron, wood and wire meet ribbon, wool, thread and lace. In this unexpected encounter, between the harshness and softness of materials, a play of attraction and rejection, stability and vulnerability emerges. Metal or wood structures are often fixed with ribbons or thin threads, at a closer look, what appears to be solid is in fact on the verge of collapse. Frictions and tensions in Burt’s works derive not only from the juxtaposition of different, contrasting materials, but also from the choreography of gestures to which they are subjected. Gestures of pulling, stretching, and pressure exerted on the materials test not only their physical properties, but also their psychological state. The apparent sense of balance and stability in Burt’s installations, and the visual narratives of fairytales and magical spaces are undermined by the emotional state of these constructions caught in a moment of vulnerability and restlessness. The contrast between the joyful aesthetic of the materials painted in vivid, bright colours and the fragility of the construction, broadens the gap between what is perceived from outside and what is experienced from within.

As an artist, Burt’s practice spans from sculptural installations to fictional prose. She completed her studies at Glasgow School of Art where she received her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Painting in 2012 and her Master of Fine Arts in 2014. She moved back to Singapore in 2015, where she currently works and resides. Her work invites the viewer to explore dialogues between her installations and their settings through a fictional narrative at times referencing film and literature.