The exhibitions "Ten Possible Links," by Matthew Ritchie and "Rescue," by Nick Cave, use different media and different types of installation presentations. We can see similarities in representational imagery, although there might be a big time gap in presentation and understanding of particular installations such as Matthew Ritchie's "Temptation of the Diagram" and Nick Cave's "Rescue".
Looking at "Temptation of the Diagram", groups of mapped, digitized diagrams placed on the wall of the entrance between two rooms and going from one room into another room we are immediately attracted to it, wanting to get closer to it, to explore it and to see where it can take us. Starting in one and going into another room it is like a repeating cycle or never ending story. Although diagrams are representations of information and they usually look very neat and even simple sometimes, this one has a very confusing look. With thick lines going over thin lines it reminds me of something that is scrambled. Looking at it brings an automatic feeling of confusion. Nick Cave's "Rescue" untitled relief painting (2013), as Ritchie's "Temptation of the Diagram"(2014), immediately attracts us because we can see that a lot is going on but do not know what until we get closer. It also has an element of confusion because all we can see are four panels hanging on the wall covered with a lot of artificial grass, metal flowers, thin chains and gramophone speakers. From far away it does look like something that needs to be rescued, something that is captured in a big mass of grass. Although it does have some confusion, it also has a calming feeling probably because of all the flowers and colors.
An idea that is present in both installations is the existence, evolving, and beginning of life. If we look the Ritchie's "Temptation of Diagram" from far away the only thing we can see is a group of lines, going all over the room, giving us a confusing almost dizzy feeling, but if we get closer and pay attention to the details we will see that there is much more going on.
