There is a lyricism to the way Tan Arlidge speaks about her oeuvre — part memory, part material, always in motion. Before turning to art full-time, Arlidge spent over a decade designing sets for lauded fashion labels. These early years, spent translating ideas into physical space, galvanised the undercurrent of her philosophy — an exploration of balance, impermanence and the unseen geometries that shape the natural world. Her latest collection, Sacred Geometry, deepens this search, layering thermoformed polymer and charred timber into forms that echo the undulations of wind, water and grain. But we will let the revered artist tell you more about her trajectory, her way of espying the natural world and how she translates it into art — in her own words.
SN: Talk us through your trajectory. You have worked for lauded brands such as Alice McCall, Christopher Esber and Lee Matthews on set design. How have you leveraged your background in fashion and design to inform your sculptural practice?
TA: I have been lucky enough to work on many projects as a Set Designer, where I’ve had the opportunity to push the limits of scale and form by hand. One particular set I have a fond memory of was for Christopher Esber. He approached me to design and build a ‘tunnel’ for his SS21 collection runway show, with a length of approximately 10 metres. I ordered 160 metres of stretch fabric and began by creating a structure made from interconnecting pipes to hold the fabric and form the tunnel. It was a rewarding challenge, and it definitely taught me about balance, tension and form at a major scale. I love creating grand sculptural works, and I feel that stems from my experience in Set Design.
SN: Your work in Sacred Geometry explores the patterns underlying natural forces – undulating forms of dunes, wind and water – what initially drew you to the idea of expressing these patterns?
TA: For as long as I can remember, I have been spiritual and curious. I’m not really able to intellectualise it – I just feel a connection between all things, everywhere, all the time. I have wanted to work with timber for a few years now, and combined with my desire to create a film with my sculptures set among the sand dunes in Anna Bay – it felt so right to design a series that explores Sacred Geometry. In my mind, the characteristics of grain in timber, the movement of water in the ocean, and the patterns in sand dunes influenced by wind are all so visually connected – it’s wild.
SN: There is something undeniably spiritual about this collection, especially in the way you speak about it. You have described your sculptures as capturing a fleeting moment of energy – what emotions or sensations do you hope to evoke within your audience?
TA: I hope they feel the energy and relationship between the shapes and forms in the series. It is subtle but profound.
SN: How have you balanced the tension between organic movement and geometric structure in your pieces?
TA: It is all intricately connected – for example, the shapes that form the ‘Dune totem’ are mapped out by the negative space present in the ‘Bonacci’ sculptures. ‘Bonacci’ are created by removing a circle, which is then formed to create the ‘Arc Furl’ and ‘Arc Roll’ works.
SN: The illusion of weightlessness plays a key role in your oeuvre. How did the materiality you chose – from thermoforming polymer to Yakisugi wood- burning – help convey this notion?
TA: The series has a notable ‘masculine/feminine’ energy with regards to the combination of timber and thermoformed polymer elements. While the polymer works evoke a sense of weightlessness and fluid movement – the geometric timber shapes act as a deliberate and pivotal strength in contrast.
SN: Given that the sculptures are man-made, how do you believe they have embraced their divergence while still paying homage to natural undulations?
TA: I have crafted a series that celebrates seen and unseen geometric patterns in nature. I don’t use moulds when forming or shaping, so the finished works are really a result of my intuition and body movements. I would hope the viewer can sense motion when looking at my work, much the same as viewing ocean waves rolling in or a leaf softly falling from a tree in the wind.
Next up: Tender at Ngununggula: A celebration of women in art