December 5, 2015 - February 6, 2016

Stephen H. Kawai – Equilibrium

Visual Voice Gallery is delighted to present ‘Equilibrium,’ an exhibition of chemistry-inspired mobiles by Montreal artist Stephen H. Kawai.
The term ‘Equilibrium’ is central to both mobiles and chemistry. A mobile needs to be in perfect equilibrium to arrange its constituent parts in the desired manner, and the term ‘chemical equilibrium’ refers to perfectly balanced (forward and reverse) chemical reactions. Equilibrium also speaks to Stephen Kawai’s longtime efforts in balancing his roles as a practicing scientist and an active artist.
“Considering that much of my adult life has been devoted to chemical research, it is not surprising that a substantial number of my pieces are either inspired by chemical concepts as diverse as symmetry and quantum theory, or constitute depictions of molecular systems.”
Just as molecules are collections of interconnected atoms, mobiles are groupings of interconnected objects. It follows that the analogy between molecules and mobiles be multifold, whether it is in the strategic process of constructing them or in their surprisingly similar dynamic behaviour. The latter point refers to the fact that mobiles, when prodded to move about wildly, will eventually settle back into the same arrangement in space. Complex molecules are also prone to flopping around, eventually returning to the most stable shape (or conformation). This shows that it is in the nature of the Universe to repeat itself on many levels.

Stephen H. Kawai was born and raised in Montréal, Canada. Obsessed with drawing from a very young age, his art training began as a teenager at the now-defunct MMFA School of Art and Design where he first encountered kinetic art during an outing to see the works of George Rickey. This artist’s spare and slowly moving pieces mesmerized him and eventually (or inevitably) led him to the work of Alexander Calder and to reproduce the basic mobile forms. For many years, mobiles took a sideline to drawing and painting, as well as academic pursuits (Stephen holds a degree in biochemistry and a doctorate in chemistry).
Stephen’s interest in modern sculpture was rekindled in Paris where he was carrying out postdoctoral research as an NSERC Fellow during the early ‘90s. Upon his return to Montreal, he began to create mobiles in his own distinct style, often utilizing natural materials such as rock, coral, shell and plant material, as well as semi-precious stones. He also draws on chemical and biochemical concepts for his artistic work, as well as exploring novel means (such as the use of springs) to augment the kinetic aspects of his creations.