1275 MINNESOTA ST / JACK FISCHER GALLERY
Michael Koehle: SALTATION
Artist Reception | Saturday, July 23, 2022 | 3–5 pm
Michael Koehle’s pieces are made up of hundreds of laser cut strips of paper. Each strip of paper is printed with a gradient. The strips are cut to match the grayscale at the corresponding point in the source image. They are then folded and glued to a panel. This work is a testament to the artist’s incredible tour de force. The viewer is taken on a ride from satellite images of typhoons to the undertow of what might be a surfer’s dream wave. Koehle graphically exhibits the force of weather while coupling it with the intense labor this work takes to accomplish.
“’Saltation’ has two distinct meanings. In geology, it describes the movement of particles over a surface, driven by the turbulent flow of air or water. In biology, it is an abrupt evolutionary change,” says Koehle. “The pieces in this series show natural forces at work, moving us about. These forces are seen both from a distance in satellite images of weather events, and more immediately in giant waves crashing over sea walls. They create a visceral sense of imminent crisis: we will be snatched up from our state of rest and thrown ballistically against one another and our environment. We will be required to change, quickly and dramatically.”