From 9 October to 15 November 2014 Art Plural Gallery presented Hypothetical Arrangements, a solo exhibition by American artist Dane Patterson. The exhibition was the artist’s first solo exhibition in Asia, which unveiled over 15 new works of different sizes.
Born in 1978 in Indiana, Dane Patterson is celebrated for his graphite drawings on paper that depict meticulously arranged rooms of hypothetical households. Elaborating on the tradition of still life, Patterson builds his hyper-realistic compositions from a foundation of photographs taken either by him when visiting grand historical homes or taken from highly-aestheticised interior design catalogues. The artist’s imagined scenes are structured around real rooms belonging to the homes of real people, including Aerin Lauder, granddaughter of legendary businesswoman Estée Lauder. In an ironic twist, even though Patterson’s sources purport to capture the spirit of the house-owner through their aesthetic taste, the artist’s bizarre compositions eliminate the human presence and instead draw energy from the spirit of the still life within.
