Ward Shelley and Douglas Paulson have collaborated on installations with text and performance for over 16 years. The interactivity and kinetic elements of Shelley’s practice pairs marvellously with the intimacy of Paulson’s text and archive-based work to craft a delicate fusion that begs to relate to the viewer. Shelley’s practice is based on the interactive principle that when one attempts to shape their world, it shapes one back.
The Library is a single piece of a larger exhibition which saw the artists pose the question, “What are the books that should be written before we stop having books?”, with thousands of answers submitted from volunteers across the country. The piece serves as a snapshot of the thoughts from the here-and-now. Relatable and humorous, these bold titles emblazoned on book spines stare at the viewer with thought-provoking words direct from the minds of everyday people.
Douglas Paulson is an artist and teacher based in New York whose work focuses on collaboration, and the relationship between social dynamics and physical spaces. His work has been presented in venues including the Queens Museum of Art (Queens) and the Toronto Free Gallery (Toronto).
Ward Shelley is a Brooklyn-based artist specializing in large scale projects that combine sculpture and performance elements. His work has been exhibited in over 10 countries and is in the collections of several institutions including the Brooklyn Art Museum and MoMA.