Elise Vazelakis

"My process of loom weaving follows a long-tended tradition, although my integration of metal wire pushes the customary limits of weaving. Manipulating the woven wire creates dynamic forms of undulating gestures and punctuated patterning that subvert weaving's static templates. My work strikes a balance between textile and sculpture that explores a juxtaposition of comfort and complexity, fortitude and fragility."

"The Present Moment of the Past” is an installation that merges my affinity for working with textile materials with the proposition of a site-specific installation that visually conveys the experience of time. The passing of time is usually thought of as linear, however this installation serves as a visual metaphor for the way memories convolute and warp our perception of time.
The sole material used in the installation is metallic gold thread representing life's most valuable commodity: time. This delicate medium communicates how time is fragile, elusive, finite and precious. As the cascading thread emerges and dissolves, it becomes a visual barometer of how time is always present, yet often unseen and slips away.
The fourteen cones of 5,000 yards of thread are hung by monofilament across the gallery, enabling the 70,000 yards of thread to fall freely off the spools and cascade to the ground. At times the thread moves slowly, in other moments quickly, and periodically it stands still and stops all together. The amassed thread on the ground represents the layered memories that create and distort the perception of time.

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