Stuart Allen
Bubble No. 12 by Stuart Allen, 2015, Archival Pigment Print
2015

Name: Bubble No. 12 by Stuart Allen, 2015, Archival Pigment Print
Brand: Stuart Allen
Price: 2900 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Bubble No. 12 by Stuart Allen presents a vibrant soap bubble floating against a cloudy sky. The prismatic colors, created by an optical phenomenon of light, are emphasized against the muted gray tones of the overcast sky. The contrast between saturated and desaturated tones emphasizes the focus on color, creating a painterly impression to the minimal composition. Edition of 8 Archival pigment print on somerset rag 23 3/4 x 23 3/4 in. Signed, titled, dated and numbered in pencil on print verso by Stuart Allen Series: Soap Bubbles White wood frame, 24 x 24 in. included. "This series exploits an optical phenomenon that occurs when visible light is distorted by the thin film membrane of a soap bubble. Soap bubbles deconstruct daylight, amplifying some wavelengths while canceling others out, creating an array of color that speaks to the complexity and mutability of what we see as “white” light. Light waves, like ocean waves, have peaks and valleys. When two or more waves combine, the waves can meet each other crest-to-crest or they can meet crest-to-trough. When they meet crest-to-trough, for every "up" vibration in one wave there is a corresponding "down" vibration in the other wave. This combination of equal ups and downs results in the cancellation of their energies. This is referred to as destructive interference. When waves meet crest-to-crest their energies are amplified. This is called constructive interference. These wave interactions are responsible for the pearly luster of an abalone shell, the beautiful colors in some bird feathers and insect wings, and for the color of soap bubbles. A bubble's colors are caused by a phenomenon known as thin-film Interference. When light bounces off soap film, there are reflections from both the front (outside) and back (inside) of the film. Interactions between these reflections, constructive and destructive interference, cause the colors we see. The specific colors are directly related to the film thickness. Thicker bubbles will display blues and greens, thinner bubbles, reds and yellows. Due to the influence of gravity, a soap bubble's walls are thinnest at the top and thickest at the bottom. This variation results in the tremendous array of color we see." Stuart Allen is an artist whose work deals with fundamental elements of perception such as light, gravity and space. He has shown photographs and sculptures in galleries and museums throughout the U.S. and abroad, and his work is found in many private and public collections including the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Harry Ransom Collection, Kansas City Art Institute, San Antonio Museum of Art, the Wichita Art Museum, Tokyo Kite Museum, the Crocker Art Museum, the DiRosa Art Preserve, and U.S. Embassy collections in Canada, Bulgaria and the Republic of Georgia. Allen has completed many permanent public art commissions, including the U.S. Embassy, the City of San Antonio, Kansas University, Trinity University, Butler College, University of Texas, San Antonio and the Police Headquarters building in Davis, CA. His work has been published in a variety of books and journals including: Picturing California's Other Landscape: the Great Central Valley, Terra Nova: Nature and Culture, You Are Here: the Journal of Creative Geography, Zyzzyva and Artweek. Allen has lectured or served as a visiting artist at many fine institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Weisman Art Museum, The Atlantic Center for the Arts, and a number of university art departments nationwide. Allen studied architecture at Kansas University and graduated from the photography and video department of the Kansas City Art Institute in 1994. He is currently based in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, son and daughter.

Creator:

Stuart Allen (1970, American)

Creation Year:

2015

Dimensions:

Height: 23.75 in (60.33 cm)Width: 23.75 in (60.33 cm)Depth: 0.1 in (2.54 mm)

Medium:

Archival Pigment

Movement & Style:

Contemporary

Period:

2010-