Lada Nakonechna. Investigation of Manipulation Mechanisms. 2009. Interactive object (graphite on cardboard, light)

Work description

This object is a vivid example of the artist working with light as both a tool and, in part, a co-author of the work. Additionally, the viewer is invited to co-author it. They can flip the switch on the lamp and turn the light on or off. When the light is on, a uniformly shaded grey area appears within a contrasting black frame. But if the light is turned off, the artist’s true work is revealed: pencil shading of varying intensity that reflects the changing light.

Nakonechna invites the viewer to explore with her this simultaneously simple and complex manipulation through light. A single click of the switch exposes what is hidden or emphasized by the artificial beam, revealing the long pencil work that neutralizes the light’s intensity through graphite. This abstract work alludes to the artist’s academic training with light and raises a broader question: how does an image—especially one exhibited in a gallery or museum—shape and direct our perception, impressions, and subsequent actions?