2019 EAST ARTIST HIGHLIGHT | Larry Akers
Larry Akers
We're exploring the world of the dozens of local artists featured at MMAC’s 2019 EAST gallery and their mediums. The goal of this series is to shed light on real-life Central Texas artists exploring what & why they create.
Q: Introduce us to yourself and your extensive body of work!
Larry Akers
A: Fluid movement is a unifying theme of all my artwork. I construct kinetic sculptures whose only moving part is the viewer. I use illumination, color, and patterned, permeable or reflective materials to create geometrically complex constructions through which light passes in beguiling ways. I like to create pieces whose visual image seems to float free from the materials used. The works are highly interactive, and the more you look, the more you will see.
Q: With your art, what kind of message or story do you find yourself trying to convey and how do you use your medium to do that?
A: I want my viewers to celebrate the pure pleasure of eyesight and the beauty of visual cognition. I hope that they will not only enjoy engaging with my works, but also remember that the effort of looking more closely at our world yields deeper experience, understanding, and joy. I avoid the baggage of socio-political commentary, psychodrama, and personal experience and instead create pieces that require no background, have no interpretation, and are approachable on a purely sensual and cognitive level. For the inquisitive, they offer the puzzles of how the darned things do what they do.
Larry Akers
Q: Tell us about the work you'll be showing in EAST!
A: I will be showing representative work using various patterned materials to create highly dynamic moire effects. My recent fascination is with the combination of perforated metal and light, and I will be offering many pieces that illustrate the deep space magically created by this combination. Most are wall-hung, some having internal lighting and some utilizing ambient light. There are also lamps that function both as lighting and decorative furniture. I am very interested in doing custom work and installations and hope that my EAST offerings will inspire people to use my work to enliven their homes and work environments.
I will also be offering samples from my 6-year water photography project at a particular spot on Barton Creek.
Q: Since this is the East Austin Studio Tour, how do you think your art impacts Austin or East Austin specifically.
A: In October The Thinkery (the Austin Children's Museum at Mueller) debuted my permanent installation, the Moire Immersion Corridor. Ten large, internally lit, perforated metal panels line the walls of their second floor hallway. I donated this work to the Thinkery because I have seen how children are immediately attracted to my work and wanted as many as possible of them to be able to experience it in their own environment. Much of what I will show at EAST is similar but on a smaller scale. I would love to see more of my work become part of our local home and office environments.
Q: What are you hoping to leave the audience with?
A: I want to offer a visual feast. I want my audience to leave with their minds bit blown and their eyesight well exercised.
Check out more of Larry’s work on his website
ABOUT BIG MEDIUM’S EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR
Big Medium's East Austin Studio Tour (EAST) is a free, annual, self-guided art event spanning two weekends in November. EAST provides opportunities for the public to meet the artists and artisans of Austin in their creative spaces.