On Reflection

A reflection is something that comes back to you, both as you first encountered it and at the same time different. A sunlit landscape reflected in a stream shows you the scene upside down. A mirror reflects your face, but in reverse. When you reflect on a past experience, you remember it thoughtfully, perhaps gaining new insights. 

In Adria Arch’s kinetic installation On Reflection, softly curved forms suspended from above tumble and swirl around one another. The perception of inside and outside, up and down, front and back constantly shifts as the sculptural components twirl in space. A soundscape adds another sensory input to Arch’s saturated colors, jaunty patterns, and reflective surfaces. As the sculpture gently undulates throughout the gallery, it creates an immersive experience both transporting and evocative, encouraging you to experience it with the unfettered wonder of a child.

(Read the full interview on Mara Williams’ blog here)

— Mara Williams, Chief Curator

On Reflection is an installation of undulating sculptural shapes suspended from the ceiling and floating at eye level. My inspiration for this piece is the Connecticut River flowing past Brattleboro. On my first visit to the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, I was entranced by the lively waterway and the way light bounced off the spray and swirling eddies. As the work imperceptibly turns and light catches the various mirrored surfaces, a sound piece by Massachusetts-based composer Ken Field sets a meditative tone. I invite the viewer to enter the installation and reflect on whatever they choose. It’s a space for both enchantment and meditation. 

I use lightweight PVC foam sheets to construct my work. The weight of the material creates natural bends in the sculptures corresponding to suspension points. Smooth, rounded forms are painted in acrylic, while mirrored vinyl, adhered to the backs or fronts of the sculpture’s appendages, creates a counterpoint flash of light.

— Adria Arch