ARTIST STATEMENT
SPACE IS THE PLACE
Cullen Washington Jr.’s current body of work utilizes objects bearing evidence of southern culture and social memory. His desire is to reconcile his specific cultural identity with the broader context of the universe. In doing so, Washington creates binary representations that signify place and space. The use of Black and white tonalities reference this tension between the individual and the universal. Conversations between social histories and cosmic esoterics create a new cosmology. Basketball hoops become black holes, catfish nets become alien motherships and wood paneling becomes nebula.
In making the work, Washington approaches sculpture and photography with a drawing sensibility. And in turn, creates drawings with sculptural qualities. To further contrast conditions, photos are placed beside drawings and sculpture beside video. Each individual piece works within a gestalt. One piece informs the other in a collective narrative.
