Boston Tueller

Paradox of Perception; Hexagon
Charcoal on Paper, Foamboard, and Mirror
18″ x 20″ x 9″

Paradox of Perception; Cube
Charcoal on Paper, Wood, and Mirror
40″ x 20″ x 20″

The Paradox of Perception is a visual exploration through the process of discovery. The process of discovery in all things we encounter, is a process in which we come to find that the way something appears on the surface is really only a sliver of what truly lies behind it. Consider for example our relationship to time. We may think of a year as being a long time, which it is if you are comparing it to a minute or a second. However, compared to the time since life began on earth until now, a year is only just the tiniest little fraction of that time frame. The same is true about the size or scale of things. Thus, we come to find, through inquiry, that our perceptions of reality are rarely as simple as they might seem and that even what appears simple can actually be quite complex. We may also come to find that our perceptions are hardly ever one in themself but a complicated structure of sometimes paradoxical elements.

The process of discovery seems to rely heavily on our own experiences of reality, and our truth seems relative to our understanding of that experience. Experience is inherent in this work. Through experiencing this work in your physical space, you will find a structure composed of layers that at first protrudes out into space, while from certain vantage points its value and gradation seems to give the illusion that it could also be receding back into space. You find that the structure seems to appear differently depending how you look at it and from where. Hidden within this structure you will find that what appears externally is only a sliver of what lies within. Paradoxically, within this finite structure, a seemingly infinite and complex space is revealed. However, the only way to discover the complexity that lies within this seemingly simple structure is through the process of inquiry and discovery. Rather, the only way to reach the truth is by questioning that which you perceive to be true.