Red Tide 1971

Laddie John Dill created this eerie installation, Red Tide, with neon and sand. The bricks of the room are splashed with colour, and I can't help but think of my own studio as a space of transformation, a laboratory for experimentation. Here, the sand's granular texture contrasts with the cool glow of the neon. Those luminous lines, cutting through the darkness, almost seem to vibrate. Notice how the red casts a fiery hue, while the blue introduces an alien coldness. It makes me think about the fragility and potential of materials, and how artists coax them into new forms. I’m reminded of Robert Irwin’s light works, but with Dill there’s an added layer of grit. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be pretty. Sometimes it's about the raw, the unexpected, and the space in-between.