Untitled 2009

Tea Jorjadze's Untitled piece seems to be a construction made from pale wood and a cool, smooth surface – maybe it’s painted or a laminate? The way these different components come together feels very intuitive and process-oriented, like one form grew out of another in a kind of slow dance. I’m struck by the contrast between the raw, unfinished feel of the wood, and that totally flat, grey-blue rectangle. It’s so sleek and even, offering no trace of the hand. Then you have these little white blocks arranged along one edge, which introduce a playful, almost architectural element, like little modernist sculptures. I’m reminded of the work of Franz West. His sculptures also have that provisional, off-kilter quality. This piece seems to suggest that art doesn’t always need to be polished or resolved. Sometimes, it’s the open-endedness, the potential for change, that makes it interesting.