Tony Hooks
some things
Through tedious methods of labor, I aim to explore and exploit the physical properties of hand-made textiles as well as more industrial materials such as concrete and steel. I bring opposing qualities of material and form together through varied processes of making; found in both handicraft and industrial production. My primary materials are yarn which I process through crochet and concrete as well as steel that I cast and weld into rectilinear forms. Both crochet textiles and concrete casts have technical abilities beyond their typical use, while steel plays a large role in display. By pushing the boundary of yarn and cement’s intended use, I find that they share similar capabilities. I look to find these intersections and display them in a manner that evokes visceral reactions, be it emotional or physical.
Display is a large part of my thinking. I find this aspect especially important when working with two materials that have such a thoroughly established role in society. Namely, concrete’s use in architecture and building, and yarns use in the home, mostly in handicrafts. With the correct display, I am able to free the objects I make from their predispositions, allowing them to exist in a unique space-time. To create this feeling, I use elements of precarity and surprise, often emphasizing the gravity in the space.
These moments of precarity and surprise emerge and reveal themselves to be not just deeply related, but also seemingly non-didactic. I consider this a priority, as I wish to create a sort of emotional receptacle. Each piece is intended to be a place of projection for the audience. Even the more conceptually transparent pieces are meant to receive the viewer in whatever way they choose. In this way, they become a sort of magical object. You have to believe that there is a meaning behind it to impress upon it what that idea might be. These forms are only allowed to exist in the capacity that they do because of the viewer's voyeuristic imposition and belief in their own experiences. They become a receptacle in the sense that its meaning and purpose is only existent as long as it is being viewed. Once the gaze is gone, so is the projection that came with it - they become emptied.
Untitled, concrete, cotton yarn, plaster, rope, natural dye, paint. 2023.
Untitled (Your gaze hits the side of my face), cotton yarn, steel, concrete, rope, rubber tube. 2023.
Detail: Untitled (Your gaze hits the side of my face), cotton yarn, steel, concrete, rope, rubber tube. 2023.
Untitled, steel, concrete, alpaca fleece, latex. 2023.
Detail: Untitled, steel, concrete, alpaca fleece, latex. 2023.
Untitled, Steel, concrete, dyed acrylic yarn. 2023.
Untitled, concrete, acrylic and wool fibers, natural dye. 2023.
Untitled, concrete, acrylic and wool fibers, natural dye, paint. 2023.
Untitled (A companion for comfort), concrete, acrylic yarn, steel, paint. 2023.
Detail:
Untitled, concrete, cotton yarn, plaster, rope, natural dye, paint. 2023.
Untitled, Steel, concrete, dyed acrylic yarn. 2023.
Installation View