Shadows

Shadows have many psychological connotations, they are used by interior designers concerned with lighting to created atmosphere, but to many they are eerie, as they suggest a sense of not knowing the full story, and not being able to see everything. Many artists overlook the possibility of using shadow to create art, often they unknowingly produce work that casts very unusual shadows (sometimes more successful than the work itself). Cornellia Parkers 'Cold Dark Matter' shows how shadow can change the meaning of an object, in her 'exploded shed' toy cars cast dramatic shadows giving them a unusual deeper sense of being, as well as an unnerving exaggeration of size. There is currently an exhibition at Compton Verney that showcases artists work (many of which are contemporary artists) who's primary concern is the effect and illusion of shadow. The exhibition includes painting, sculpture and video by international contemporary artists such as Doug Aitken, Laurie Anderson, Christian Boltanski, Ceal Floyer, Mona Hatoum, Gary Hill, Tracey Moffatt, Anri Sala, Fiona Tan, Andy Warhol, William Wegman and Francesca Woodman.