EMEIRELY NUCIFORA-RYAN

Processed

24 November - 3 December 2023, CCAS Manuka

Emeirely Nucifora-Ryan’s Processed is the culmination of a seven-month observation of daily practice. On 1 April 2023, Nucifora-Ryan bent, welded, and eventually bombarded the first circle of this show, striving to repeat this practice each subsequent day. The result is over 150 circles displayed in the style of a Gregorian calendar.

The chosen shape, inspired by the calligraphic symbol ensō, appears frequently in the artist’s work, a symbol which in the school of Zen represents enlightenment, strength, elegance, and the relationship between the universe and the mu (the void). In calligraphy, the shape is drawn in one movement. Similarly, in neon the shape is made of a single glass tube. While it is a technically complex shape to bend, the result is minimalist in its aesthetic expression. The results are simple, irregular, and imperfect. As they are displayed the omissions show the reality of the working artist—the days left blank document when life got in the way.

Image: Emeirely Nucifora-Ryan Work in progress, 2023, photo courtesy the artist