Features Of The Landscape
Wood, metal, plastic, tape
58 x 38 x 20cm
2008

Samuel Williams is a British artist working primarily in sculpture and video. His work tends to focus on limitations of materials and time (for example, his series of 20-second sculptures, made from whatever is at hand within the one-third minute time constraint). For this exhibition, Inova will fully engage Williams' inventive capabilities, and the limitations of his living in a country an ocean away.

For the first time ever, at the beginning of the show the gallery will be empty. Each day the gallery is open (including opening night) throughout the run of the show, Williams will send instructions, via fax, e-mail or telephone, for one sculpture to be made on site. A collection of volunteers, drawn from students in the Peck School of the Arts and the Milwaukee community, will sign on to help realize these works, gradually filling up the gallery at the pace of one sculpture per day that the gallery is open.

As Williams states, "Often projects cannot happen because of a lack of materials, budget or time. This work tries to make a positive out of those limitations. A limitation itself can be just another tool. They are things that generate unexpected outcomes, things that push creativity in interesting directions. It is not about setting oneself up to fail, but about looking for potential, and working with that."

Ping Pong Balls
Ping pong balls, glue
22 x 55 x 17cm
2008

The April Fools' Day opening reception will be a special occasion, the first-ever opening with no work in the gallery! The staff & volunteers will construct the work during the actual opening, where visitors will get to see the sculpture actually being made. Examples of Williams' video work will be showing in Inova's screening room throughout the exhibition.

By the end of the show, if all goes as planned, 38 Williams sculptures will occupy the space.

Samuel Williams was educated at Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Brighton and the Royal College of Art in London. Most recently he completed a residency at the Kyoto City University of Arts in Japan.

Read More

Milwaukee offers art aficionados more than Santiago Calatrava's landmark, by Lauren Weinberg, contributing writer for timeoutchicago.com

When making art is an act of 'making do', by Debra Brehmer, contributing writer for the Wisconsin Gazette.

REVIEW: Samuel Williams at Inova, by Jessica Zalewski, Art City contributor with Tap Milwaukee.

The Only Game