Situation

Light, through illuminating the spaces we occupy, affects our social reality. The nature of light is such that it can be manipulated and altered to illuminate objects and spaces revealing only the aspects that are deemed suitable or necessary. Situation, an installation by Vaughn Sadie, explores the relationship between artificial light and space. Our sense of place is constructed by the relationship between objects, space and artificial light. In this installation the perceived passive nature of this relationship is brought into question. The objects on show not only illuminate themselves and each other, but are also complicit in altering our perception of the spaces we occupy as well as ourselves. The use of artificial light as a metaphor also raises crucial questions
about power and ideology.

Sadie, a Durban-based artist, is completing his MFA at The Durban University of Technology. Sadie has participated in several public art events such as Red Eye and Negotiate at JAG. In 2005, Sadie was a participant in KO Video Festival and the Young Artist Project 2005 at KZNSA gallery. He has participated in several group shows nationally and in 2007 facilitated light workshops with Jay Pather in the Spier Contemporary Performance Workshops and 2008 co-curated Light Show at Bank Gallery. He is currently completing his first large-scale public commission at the Durban ICC and is a lecturer at Vega, The Brand Communications School in Durban.