ciliary #11 2010

Ann Hamilton made ‘ciliary #11’ out of paper and thread; it's this radial, almost floral form, and the process just screams patience. The way she coaxes these materials into something so visually complex is really special. What strikes me is the texture and surface. You’ve got the delicate, almost translucent paper, contrasted with the intricate network of thread. The thread isn’t just holding things together, it's like it’s drawing on the surface, creating this hazy, grey atmosphere that is both dense and airy. Look at the very center, where everything converges – it's a concentrated burst of ruffled paper. It reminds me of the way petals unfurl, or maybe even the structure of a microscopic organism, full of depth and hidden details. It makes me think about Eva Hesse, and her use of unconventional materials to explore themes of fragility and impermanence. Like Hesse, Hamilton invites us to consider the beauty inherent in process and the poetry that can emerge from simple, repeated gestures.