My practice is an empirical exploration of the relationship between light, space and materials. My use of colour developed from an interest in the increasing extent to which colour coded systems are used to convey complex information. Initially, inspiration came from anatomical diagrams and Harry Beck’s London Underground maps and developed into the fluorescent structures. With the discovery of Electro-Luminescent Wire I began to investigate materials that modulated light and used these to make structures that controlled the composition of projected coloured light onto surfaces in the immediate environment, this concluded with the installation Five Curves for Aether in 2013. Following this I began using off the shelf RGB LEDs to exercise more control over the quality and intensity of coloured light which was embedded in expanded polystyrene. This material, itself up to 98% space, both modulated light through itself, and simultaneously reflected light from its surface, which gave it an ambiguous physical quality, and a curious presence, as sculptures became their own light source. The forms and spaces of expanded polystyrene packaging interested me, and I enjoyed subverting the materialistic nature of contemporary consumer culture by disregarding the valued electronic goods and electrifying the packaging. The use of programmable RGB LED’s has also introduced a time based element to the installations, and created opportunities for performance based installations.
Selected Exhibitions
International
Optica International Festival Of Video Art, 2008 Gujon 6th-8th Nov, Paris Oct 4th, Madrid Oct 16th-18th
Olympolis Project 2008, Katerini, Greece 12th-20th July 2008
Solo
Dark Matters - Leicester Contemporary Gallery, Leicester, 4th-15th January 2022
Lightbox Foiled - LCB Depot Lightbox Gallery, Leicester, 25th -31st October 2017
Five Curves for Aether – Unit One Gallery at The Grand Central, Leicester, April 1st-6th 2013
Focal Point - The DeMontfort University Cube Space at Phoenix Square Leicester, November 1st-30th 2010
Group
Love Art - Studio Submission, LCB Depot 6th - 27th November 2020
Socially Distanced, StudionAme Project Space, Leicester Opening Night Installation 11th October 2020
Points Of Departure, Silver Vine Arts Group Show, QOB Leicester 29th April - 5th April 2016
WTS Gallery Leicester, Winter Open, 29th November - 19th December 2014
DMU Fine Art MA Show 2014
Creative Hinckley Group Show
Chromophilia II, Creative Hinckley Gallery Space, January 30th- March 9th 2012
Chromophilia, Pedestrian Gallery Leicester, November 19th -30th 2010
20th Leicester City Gallery Annual Open, November 2008- January 2009
Artober, Leicester Phoenix Arts, 13th-28th October 2007
ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries London, 15th-25th November 2007
National Architecture Week 2007, Three Ways of Seeing, Leicester - 18th -23rd June 2007
Richard Attenborough Centre, Leicester University, Group show, 2nd Sept – 3rd Oct 2006
Commissions
In 2006 I completed a joint commission for the Leicester Health Authority in the new Braunstone Health and Social Care Building designed by Alan Short Architects. This commission involved two site-specific murals and seven perspex sculptures illuminated by coloured fibre-optic lights.
Education
DeMontfort University
BA( Hons) Fine Art, 1988
MA Fine Art 2014
Employment
I have been a Senior Lecturer on the Foundation Art Course at DeMontfort University since 2001.
Contact
Mobile 07930658110
mkboot@virginmedia.com