J-M-3-81 1981

Conrad Marca-Relli made J-M-3-81 with a dedication to texture; the material quality feels like the main event. You can see how he’s built up the surface using collage, layering different materials and shapes to create this sort of broken architecture. I love the way the off-white shapes sit against the dark background, how they almost hover there. Look closely, and you’ll see subtle gradations of color within each shape, a gentle play of light and shadow. The edges are so fascinating, a blurred line between the white shapes and black background that creates a contrast between precision and accident. There’s a real push and pull, with the rust around the edges. Marca-Relli’s work reminds me a little of Kurt Schwitters, in that he takes discarded materials and turns them into something precious, something new. It’s like he’s saying that beauty can be found in the unexpected, in the overlooked.