Down the Line
28 August- 10 October 2020

​Down the Line is a new online exhibition by Melbourne based artist Adam knapper. This new body of work is a series of drawings of interweaving and interlocking ribbon forms that seeks to connect people during the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
The abundance of entangled ribbons depicted become a maze-like network that can be followed and unravelled by the eye. The drawings form a puzzle system for the audience to piece together and create their own meanings.
 
There is a sense of the complexity and interconnectedness within the simplicity of the ribbon forms. A very human connection is made to the ribbon as early as childhood, with celebrations and gift giving is often at the forefront. In some culture’s the ribbon is used in a marriage ceremony, in others the custom of tying ribbons to a tree is a way to ask for wishes, hopes and healing. These customs have resonance in cultures around the world, such as tying ribbons on trees is a tradition to mark a new year on March 21 in the Persian calendar. The symbol of the ribbon in my drawings indicates wishes and desires for a positive outlook during the current pandemic by linking individuals in the greater community. The ribbon drawings represent the interconnectedness. Although we are physically distanced, there is an inherent connection we share through the experience of Covid-19 and the possible stresses on mental health.
 
The forms and shapes of the ribbons are influenced by New York subway tags and Islamic calligraphy. Both are forms of typography that present hidden meanings within their designs. There is an unexpected factor where the more you look the more you find, there is more than meets the eye.  I like the idea of discovering things and perhaps seeing things that other people might not see.
 
The title Down the Line comes from a recent email where an old friend commented 'I will see you down the line', this comment has resonance to the line of the ribbon and the experience of time during this isolation.