In this collaboration with Wolfgang Woerner, Skin of Light captures the fleeting, tactile conversation between two bodies separated by a semi-permeable boundary. Created through a unique co-dependent performance, the work redefines the act of painting from a solitary gesture into a shared, physical negotiation. By clipping two sheets of drafting film together to form an open-ended envelope, the artists constructed a temporary architecture of intimacy and isolation. With one artist stationed inside this fragile enclosure and the other moving around the exterior, the foundational marks were forged in blind reaction to one another. Every brushstroke became a measure of pressure, a search for the other’s unseen hand pushing back against the flexible, responsive surface.
As ambient light passes through the translucent material, it illuminates the layered earthy ochres, lapis blues, and streaks of neon orange. The interplay of colours and mark-making reflects the reality of the physical body contrasting with the radiant, ephemeral nature of the connection. Operating as a double-sided artefact, the surface is never truly flat. The tall, anatomical silhouette haunting the centre of the composition serves as a direct echo of the human form that once inhabited the internal space, effectively dematerialising physical flesh into pure energy and colour. Viewing the work invites an exploration of its perimeter, revealing how shifting light exposes the hidden depths and secrets of the opposing side.
Below, watch a film about the making of the work to better understand the process.