Visually and conceptually, his work can be associated with Celtic Art and with the work of Robert Smithson, Jackson Pollock, Peter Voulkos and Anselm Kiefer. There is no escaping the strong presence of Eyfells' Icelandic heritage when viewing his work. The fact that geologic forces of nature - pressure,,heat, gravity have created the dominant features of the landscape of his birthplace becomes clear in his sculpture. |
CLOTH COLLAPSIONS, mixed media
Encounters IV (left), 8 1/2 feet x 8 1/2 feet x variable
Ghost Encounters II (middle), 8 1/2 feet x 8 1/2 feet x variable
Ghost Encounters I (right), 7 1/2 feet x 7 1/2 feet x variable
Cloth Collapsions by Johann EyfellsCloth Collaptions
The cloth collopsions are suspended "sandwiches" of white fabric stained in earthen tones. In Encounters IV contained energy is suggested by crosses densely fil ing a circle motif. In Ghost Encounters I & II the crosses have exploded, leaving a "white hole" as a remnant. In these works, the space between things, like a magnetic field or invisible dark matter, creates a tension of matter and nothingness. There is a levity and airiness to these; they are hovering sculptures that literally defy gravity.
Cloth Collapsions by Johann Eyfells
Paper Collapsions
As one approaches the work, c basic sense of
order is evident through a dominan
t motif such as the spiral, circle, or square. On closer inspection the viewer is treated to surfaces that are fu
ll of complexity, revealing unleashed energy and its resulting chaos. Eyfells viscerally captures the sublime experience of witnessing nature at its most awesome: the equivalent of viewing an expanse of a vast canyon, or being ringside at c volcanic eruption.
The paper collapsion, Wbirl, suggests forces responsible for creating tornadoes, hurricanes and galaxies. The stained and encrusted surface has an ancient quality which is reinforced by the eternal icon of a spiral, and like the event horizon formed by material spiraling into a black hole, it is these traces of elements that provide evidence that something momentous has occurred. In the words of the artist, the "indivisible, spaceless and placeless dimensions" are sought.
Rubber Collapsions by Johann EyfellsRubber Collapsions
The large rubber collapsions such as Alluvium have multiple associations. A "skin" whose cratered surface could have formed over eons presents an all-over pattern of pockmarks and organic impressions which celebrates Eyfells' fascination with chaos and randomness. Segments recalls a fossil-like casting of petrified wood, laid out as a slab for the viewer to contemplate.
RUBBER COLLAPSION, mixed media
Segments, 10 feet x 10 feet x 8 inches