For PULSE Miami 2018, Kal Mansur has created sculptures—non-specific objects—which are a simultaneous homage to and departure from minimalist traditions. The series combines gestural drawing with multiple machining processes. Mansur composes first with tape, creating a drawing built upon strokes that, unlike pencil drawings, do not bear the memory of an erased line. The composition is then carved into a solid acrylic slab. The incisions are filled with pigmented epoxy, layers of color built up millimeters at a time. Using a carving machine, Mansur exposes deeper layers by excavating into the slab, creating steppes that are only visible upon closer inspection. Shadows of invisible lines are cast on the wall, as the artwork's incline creates optical effects. The conceptual underpinnings are vast, as Mansur moves past diffusion as a compositional element, and explores how transparency can carry unexpected consequences.
