Robert Mauthe is an artist of infusion--of light and metal, of air and oxide.
Mauthe creates his artwork
in anodized aluminum. The process begins with an
electrochemical
treatment that develops an oxide coating on the aluminum
surface,
allowing the coating to absorb dye, producing an integral color.
Light performs an essential role in his work. It passes through the
translucency
of the dye and plays off the inherent metallic property of the
medium. The movement of light across the etched surface
reveals lightness
and darkness, surface textures and deeper layers.
In his art, Robert Mauthe seeks to
create an interplay of material and
space, sparseness and complexity, form and freedom. He utilizes the myriad
techniques
of the artist, metalworker, and philosopher to create infusion
and intensity.
As an artist, he welcomes
the occasional unexpected surprises that arise
from working with unpredictable processes and natural materials.
It is,
after-all, these very surprises that allow both the artist and the viewer to
discover the creative process
anew with each work.
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Mauthe graduated from Emily Carr College
of Art and Design. He
currently lives and works in Southern California, where
he
moved in 1993.
