Kenneth Roepe
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Polymorph
PLA plastic 2021 
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Artist Statement
Change is an ever-present component of the world we live in… or is it? Can change also be thought of as transformation, where an existing entity takes on new attributes, but retains some fundamental aspect of the original? If one could follow a timeline of incremental transformations through history, does a current version retain some identifiable aspect of all past versions? These are some of the questions to which "Polymorph" invites contemplation.
Change is an ever-present component of the world we live in… or is it? Can change also be thought of as transformation, where an existing entity takes on new attributes, but retains some fundamental aspect of the original? If one could follow a timeline of incremental transformations through history, does a current version retain some identifiable aspect of all past versions? These are some of the questions to which "Polymorph" invites contemplation.
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Artist Bio
The majority of my work involves light in some form. Light can have a profound impact on human experience. I have said that light requires a symbiotic relationship… Without the symbiotic relationship of light and materiality, neither can be appreciated. My Interest in Art and Architecture blossomed after seeing amazing works while travelling throughout Europe and Asia. After my travels, I enrolled in the Industrial Design program at the Art Institute of Seattle where I learned many skills, but Lighting Design was of particular interest. As many Lighting Designers come from architecture, I applied to the Architecture program at the University of Washington. I was accepted and after graduating, I was hired by an architecture firm in their lighting studio. Creativity is at the heart of good Architectural Lighting Design, but the opportunities to work with light in a purely artistic way can be rare. So, I started creating art installations for different light-art events. The highlight of my installation work thus far was the SAM Lights event at the Olympic Sculpture Park. I was extremely honored to create a light-art installation for Richard Serra’s “Wake”. I love the sense of space you experience when walking through the piece, and to be able to use light to augment that feeling was incredibly exciting. I will continue explorations into the relationship between light and materials, and look forward to the discoveries that lead to the next iterations of my work. |
This artwork is one of 12 pieces in The Endurance of Change open-air exhibition. Click here to read the curator's statement and learn more about other works in this exhibition.