Liz West
“I love light, I’ve always been attracted to light. It has a very strong effect on me – from a sensory point of view, but also emotional, which has made me feel strongly connected to light”
Concertina (series), 2023 - ongoing
At the core of Liz West's practice lies the profound connection between colours and the psychological and physical responses they evoke. Concertina is a testament to her enduring quest to provoke heightened sensory awareness in the viewer and her ability to scale her ideas to any size and any environment.
Each piece within Concertina is a labor of love and playfulness, meticulously handcrafted by the artist herself. Following a decade of relying on fabricators and technicians for her larger-scale projects, West's return to a studio-based practice provides her with a meditative space for creation, free from the constraints and costs of public artworks. This return infuses each work with a hint of imperfection that enriches it, stemming from her hands-on approach.
The choice of colours in Concertina is far from arbitrary; they are thoughtfully juxtaposed and harmonised to complement one another and spark emotions. Paper and card stock are deliberately chosen for their luminosity, texture, and vibrant hues, adding layers of complexity to the pieces. While these works may appear structurally tight and regimented, paradoxically, they offer a liberating sense of creative freedom and fulfilment that resonates throughout the artist's studio.
As viewers navigate Concertina, the coloured hues and tones intertwine, creating reflected hues and captivating shadows within the works. Fresh, unforeseen perspectives and colour combinations unveil themselves as viewers dynamically engage with the art. Each work within this series acts as a portal into the colourful world of the artist.
Concertina (pearlised vista, neon green and white), 2023
Concertina (blue, pearlised amethyst, mirrored green, lake blue and klein blue), 2023
Concertina (frosted silver and mirrored silver, gold, orange, red, pink and brown), detail, 2023
Concertina (pearlised fuchsia, neon red and white), 2023
About
Liz West is internationally recognised for her extraordinary use of light as a tool in architectural installations and artworks. Her understanding and application of colour and light as a language plays on the perceptions and emotions of her viewers.
Before she could read, Liz learnt colour theory. Her parents were both artists and encouraged her to express herself by being creative. Since her final year at Art School, Liz has gone on to perfect her ability to manipulate colour and light in large scale installations that radiate sunlight through dynamic materials.
Liz studied Sculpture and Environmental Art at Glasgow School of Art. She has exhibited work in galleries and institutions across the world including Natural History Museum, National Trust and Dubai Design Week. Permanent work include Colour Transfer, a site-specific installation of coloured mirrors underneath of Paddington Central’s Westway Bridge.
