The Hampden Gallery at UMass-Amherst has paired a couple of artists of extraordinarily stark vision, both of whose work is as crisp in its contrast as it is in its commentary.
The first, Timothy Gough, spends unimaginable amounts of time creating aggregate sculptures whose constituents (nails or thumbtacks, for example) are all exactly the same. Perhaps like atoms or molecules, alone they are unremarkable and commonplace, but as a collective they can become functional, meaningful or even beautiful. Gough has compiled 18 months of work for his portion of this winter’s show, calling it The Resulting Effect.
Kristin Nason’s work, both 16/28: PLACES/YEARS (from which Tokyo is pictured, right) and Cold Storage, is perhaps more reflective and pensive. The former examines and juxtaposes the 16 places she’s lived in her 28 years, and the latter explores the mystery of memories and how we process them. Both artists are UMass-Amherst alumni.
Through Feb. 26, Hampden Studio Gallery, Southwest Residential Area, UMass-Amherst, (413) 545-0680, www.umass.edu/fac/hampden.