Image courtesy of M.A.D. Gallery

Jennifer Townley’s kinetic art at M.A.D. Gallery

Dutch artist Jennifer Townley qualified with a degree in art from the Royal Academy of Fine Art in The Hague in 2008 and has been working as an independent artist ever since, specialised in conceiving mechanical sculptures that move very slowly.

Image courtesy of M.A.D. Gallery

Townley’s kinetic sculptures, created with meticulous attention to detail, generate repetitive movements and changing patterns designed to subtly interfere with the spectator’s own patterns of thought. Her art features shapes and forms with constantly evolving patterns that are continually being distorted and transformed, the motions notable for their tranquillity.

Image courtesy of M.A.D. Gallery

Townley’s art derives from her fascination with science, with an emphasis on physics, engineering, and mathematics. She is inspired by geometric patterns and the mathematical sketches of M. C. Escher. Captivated by how machines can convert relatively simple circular motions into quite complex nonlinear and chaotic patterns, she finds the robustness and apparent immortality of mechanical machines fascinating.

Image courtesy of M.A.D. Gallery

Besides her love for mechanics, Townley is also a student of how we perceive the world around us. Optical illusions are a good example of how our brains try to fit confusing visual information into known mental frameworks. Our attention is jarred by chaos while order generally brings us peace; Townley likes to create sculptures that produce repetitive movements with alternating moments of chaos and order, which result in the observer feeling alternating tension and relief, creating an almost hypnotic effect on the viewer.

M.A.D.Gallery Geneva, Switzerland
Until 11 June, 2016

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