JLG Projects presents: Jeff Wallace To From. New York-based artist Jeff Wallace uses vintage books as his medium, transforming them, cover to cover, into testaments of memory and time. Using pigmented and hand-pressed pulp, the works in To From reshape the printed page into intricate floral still lifes. His Vanitas-like arrangements possess a richness resonant of black and white photography. There is a sense of depth and dimension derived from tonal qualities that range from velvety blacks to creamy white hues. The hand-wrought paper accentuates these characteristics, its soft and porous texture allowing for a chiaroscuro-esque interplay between light and shadow. Interested in the act of repurposing, Wallace’s self-taught process reflects that of his subject matter; the material in itself undergoes a natural course of transformation and renewal. The works in To From call attention to the symbolism of flowers, reflecting upon their ephemeral qualities while capturing the dual nature of their purpose from celebration to remembrance. Similar to the forgotten pages they are made from, the floral arrangements become portraits, capturing fleeting moments that are at once personal yet openly read.
