The House 1993

Ayse Erkmen made this piece, ‘The House,’ with fluorescent tubes and some kind of supporting metal armature. It's all about seeing the space differently. The cool thing is how Erkmen plays with light and architecture. The light seems to buzz and float, dissecting the space like a drawing in air. Check out how the tubes hang – they’re suspended, kind of awkward, casting shadows that dance on the walls and floor. They're not quite parallel to the ceiling or floor, it’s like the whole room is breathing. It reminds me of the light installations of Dan Flavin, but with a twist. Where Flavin celebrates the pure, unadulterated glow of the tubes, Erkmen embraces a more off-kilter, homemade feel. It’s this imperfection that gives ‘The House’ its charm – a reminder that art, like life, is always a work in progress.