The Thousands

Sam Songailo’s artist statement explains how his work is the result of ‘a series of simple systems’. I like systems. I just looked up the word ‘system’ in the dictionary and it turns out one of the meanings of ‘system’ is ‘the world or universe.’ So there you have it – Songailo’s art is about everything.

I’m not just trying to be reductive though. Now I know I’ve only got 200 words to kill here, so I don’t need to get philosophical or nuthin’ but take a look at this picture. There are these beautiful sparkly lights, and they delineate the main roads and back alleys of our cities. There is some order to the system – gridded city squares and arterial highways. But it still all seems impossibly complex. Human civilisations seem to grow according to some formula outside of our control or understanding. And I *think* that is what Songailo’s work is about. We’ve got mathematical models to explain how a plant grows but we still like to romanticise a rose.

Woah, shit got real. Anyway, Sam Songailo is making this awesome installation at CACSA Project Space and the opening is Friday night dude.