The Expanding Universe of Aaron J. Vonk · 2006 · Photographs on gessoed plaster · ·
Sculpture
Objects in space.
Half Sphere · 2005 · Mortar · 30″ × 30″ × 30″ · Private Collection · When I learned that ‘solid matter’ is essentially an illusion—it is literally empty space—I made Half Sphere, Scaffold, and Catalyst, among other pieces. In attempting to reduce the mass of solid forms I found myself pursuing common goal of engineering.
Scaffold · 2005 · Stoneware · 18″ × 18″ × 18″ ·
Brick Brick · 2004 · Earthenware bricks and grout · 8″ × 4″ × 2″ · Private Collection · I occasionally revisit the concept of recursion which began when I learned about atoms and pictured them as little solar systems and then thought maybe our solar system was an atom inside a much larger universe. It turns out there was a ‘hierarchical universe’ theory in the 1970’s but the rise of quantum mechanics put it to rest. There is currently speculation that our universe may exist inside a black hole in a presumably much larger universe.
Catalyst · 2003 · Mortar · 49″ × 29″ × 21″ · Private Collection
Catalyst Detail · 2003 · Mortar · · Private Collection
Sphere · 2003 · Brick, mortar, plywood · 29″ × 29″ × 3″ · · Sphere and Surfboard from a series called Curved Space in which I made or created the illusion of very smooth geometric solid forms with un-malleable rectilinear building units, i.e. bricks.
Surfboard · 2003 · Brick, mortar, on stainless steel armature · 82″ × 22″ × 6″ ·
Surfboard Detail · 2003 · Brick, mortar, stainless steel armature · ·
Child Field · 2000 · Concrete on steel armature · 43″ × 18″ × 12″ · Installation at the Univertsity of San Francsico where it caused such an uproar that I had to remove it after a week due to the resulting theft and vandalism. Individual figures and groups in various private collections
Chieldfield II · 1999 · At USF, the children had lived up to the title of the piece by creating a field of energy regardless of the open space between them. In this installation at Terrain the confined space of the small gallery collapsed the field, resulting in a claustrophic solemnity.
Babies · 1997 · Concrete on steel armature · 27″ × 6″ × 12″@ · Installation size variable. Individual figures in various private collections
Bluetime · 1992 · Plaster, pigments, on steel armature · 84″ × 25″ × 60″ · Private Collection
Candle Figure · 1992 · Wax, wicks, plaster, on steel armature · 23″ × 31″ × 26″ ·
Listen · 1992 · Plaster, pigments on steel armature · 95″ × 20″ × 16″ · Private Collection
Requiem Candle · 1992 · Wax, wicks, plaster, on steel armature · 78″ × 21″ × 14″ · Private Collection. This piece and Candle Figure are examples of art works that have a mind of their own. When I finished these pieces I suddeen realized that all the wicks could never be lit. Doing so would have resulted in a disastrous fire. ·
Warning · 1992 · Plaster, pigment, electrical components on steel armature · 73″ × 31″ × 20″ · Private Collection
Fallen Angel · 1990 · Plaster, pigment, found objects, on steel armature · 86″ × 36″ × 44″ · Private Collection
Headstack · 1990 · Stoneware · approx. 10″ × 8″ × 48″ · Unknown location · This is another one of my ‘hierarchical universe’ pieces.
Mouthful · 1990 · Plaster and pigments · Approx. 10″ × 7″ × 8″ · Private Collection
Whiteout · 1990 · Plaster, pigments, on steel armature · 12″ × 12″ × 88″ · Private Collection
X Man · 1990 · Plaster, pigments, on steel armature · 83″ × 55″ × 10″ · · Sorry for the poor resolution of this image. X Man is embedded with dozens of small heads. Location unknown, possibly destroyed.