Statement: Art in public places

I produce works to transform neutral spaces into unexpected spaces, to give joy to the eye, to remind us of the sublime, of the harmonious, images that inspire in us feelings of happiness within a contemporary aesthetic, which enhance the visual and spatial experience that links us with a place.

Since 1985 I have been solving visual problems, exploring different forms of abstraction as applied to plane, space, and place. Regardless of the dimensions or the media employed, from small-scale collages to monumental tile murals, for indoor and outdoor spaces, I work with a particular set of visual elements within the conceptual framework of each project in context with the site.

My whole body of production has a recognizable grammar in which color, form, and line coexist in the poetic tensions of their structures. I am interested in families of forms and the repetition of abstract elements, and I resort to primarily vibrant combinations of bright colors. These familiar, recurring elements in everyone’s lives create a sense of shared identity with the works.

I have designed and implemented multiple permanent works like tile murals, floor designs, hanging elements, stained glass windows, room dividers, tapestries, assemblages, and others. I have used appropriate materials for every situation, taking into account factors such as durability, cost, and pertinence: glass mosaic, ceramic, painted acrylic shapes, painted wood, glass, textile, aluminum, and wool, among others. Teams of professionals and workers have completed these works under my direction and supervision.

Patricia Van Dalen, January 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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