And Further the Dew Drop Falls

In And Further the Dew Drop Falls, Los Angeles-based artist Chris Natrop uses
cut paper to transform MOCA’s galleries into a mesmerizing environment of
free-form patterns that evoke nature and landscape. The show’s title, like the
artist’s inventive process, reflects his interest in the concept of something
emerging out of nothing. The artist uses the cycle and development of dew as an
underlying metaphor for this new body of work. “Water evaporates into the air
and then condenses as dewdrops, only to be evaporated again,” Natrop states. In
some areas of the exhibition light projections of water drops slowly descend the
museum walls and are layered atop the artist’s organic cut-outs.



Natrop works on enormous sheets of paper that are stretched out on self-healing
mats. Wielding a standard utility knife, he spontaneously cuts away at the paper
to create his organic forms. His compositions are influenced by his fascination
with the intricacies of everyday forms encountered in his direct surrounding.
Natrop’s process reveals the negative space by removing the “emptiness” in
between forms. Without any preconceived pattern or preliminary sketch, he allows
the work to shape itself with each cut. As a by-product, energetic rips, tears
and over-cuts mark the surfaces. Many of the drawings are suspended from the
ceiling with wires and strings, and take on a sculptural presence, ultimately
challenging the boundaries between two and three-dimensional art. The
presentations of the works create dramatic cast shadows that refract and reflect
through projected light. Above all, Natrop’s installations are a fictionalized
perception of place that allows the viewer to navigate through these ethereal
landscapes and environments. And Further the Dew Drop Falls was designed and
created specifically for MOCA Jacksonville and is Natrop’s first large-scale
museum exhibition.

Installations by Chris Natrop



April 25, 2008 — August 31, 2008

Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10am to 4pm., Wednesday at
10am to 9pm. and Sunday at Noon to 4 pm.