Rebecca Diele

A Series of False Summits

June 7th – 24th, 2023

A Series of False Summits explores the tension, contradiction and synthesis of opposing forces: order/disorder, randomness/control, rule/freedom and strength/vulnerability. A sequence of patterns is methodically stitched into paper with cotton thread, moving from one predetermined point to another along a fixed path. The system of lines is likened to the boundaries of modern cartography, mapped by coordinates of successive points and reduced to straight lines and gridded surfaces. This process is repeated within ruled borders of large-scale cotton paper until water interrupts and transforms. The transformative qualities of water produce a shift from rigorous control and allow space for change and modification in the system. Simultaneously, water weakens the fibres, making the paper vulnerable to tearing as the weft threads tighten to support the undulating form. It is a delicate and tender moment between materiality and process where new possibilities and outcomes arise. The water warps and wrinkles the paper’s surface into topographical forms reminiscent of mountainous landscapes. The morphing and shifting elements embody the dynamism and storytelling of early cartography, mapping movement through space and time.