Leonardo Drew Number 231 – diptych, 2020 Wood and paint Work (each): 185.4 x 61 x 12.7 cm
This elongated silhouette of Number 231 is like that of a simple skyscraper as well as like a tablet. Made in Drew’s signature technique, featuring neatly stacked pieces of cut lumber in a dynamic, gridded sculptural relief, Number 231 is finished with a matte black wash with a white ‘zip’ in the center of each panel, which creates contrast and emphasizes vertical rhythm and adds an element of detail, intentionality and fine linearity. Drew’s long-standing interest in lifecycles and how human labor leaves traces of life behind is one aspect of the materiality and appearance of the work. The white element amidst the black is like a code or a written language –like Braille, a micro-text to decipher. But it is also like a macro view of a densely built city. Drew says: “I think of it as making chaos legible.”