Carol Prusa (USA, b.1956) inherits the silverpoint drawing technique from the Renaissance period, using it as a tool to delve into astrophysics and source her own expressions of chaos and cosmos.
Carol Prusa was a science student when she decided to take drawing classes, and eventually received a BS in Medical Illustration from the University of Illinois. Today she has gained recognition for her unique artistic expression portraying the beauty of cosmic anomalies; Often pondering how and why things seem so complex and feel so overwhelming, while our breathing feels natural, simple, and calm. Having sought solace in science, she came to realise an even greater satisfaction through metaphor and poetry, combined with the visual allure of art.
“Drawn to the unknown, I studied chemistry, titrating answers in the lab. I became an artist to work outside limits and established methods. Like scientists, I seek new ways to explain our place. I desire to manifest the most complete understanding of my world, offering new ways of knowing. Specifically, digesting contemporary theories in physics and seeking liminal spaces (like eclipses), is resulting in work that creates worlds with erotically charged geometries. Known for large scale silverpoint drawings incorporating sculptural forms and new technologies, I yearn to realise a radical vision that takes into account chaotic interactions central to the evolution of the universe, to unearth its vital beauty. I seek to give form to thin spaces that evoke the dark matter that both surrounds and binds us together. As Mary Oliver beautifully wrote in Upstream, ‘Its (arts) concern is the edge, and the making of a form out of the formlessness that is beyond the edge’.”
Attraction To The Strange
Despite being rooted in boundless imagination, Prusa’s works are meticulously crafted with precise calculations. Her exploration of symmetry and pattern reflects nature’s mathematical elegance alongside metaphysical inquiries into the balance between structure and fluidity, order and spontaneity. Engaging viewers in a meditative trance of carefully crafted complexity, recurring motifs of floral patterns and embryonic-like bubbles create a signature style that is both enigmatic and profound. These elements symbolise growth and potential, reflecting her fascination with the organic forces that power the cosmos and the natural world. Meanwhile, bubbles which are delicate and transient, evoke the fragility and the ephemeral nature of existence.
Her artistic choices reflect her pursuit of balance and harmony, serving as metaphors for the orderly and logical nature of the universe’s movements. And this disciplined approach highlights the contrast between the vast, unknowable expanses of the cosmos and the human desire to find structure and meaning within it, creating a bridge between the (in)finite and the (in)comprehensible. In this way, she creates “symbolically charged pieces that respond to liminal locations, using graphite pours and silverpoint drawing in a dance between the known and unknown, to create erotically charged portals to new possibilities. Unknowing (between day and night) articulates emergent forms, offering insight into the mystery of our existence while embracing the magnitude of the universe with the lawlessness of imagination, in order to distill the sacred.”
Silver Pointing The Way
Silverpoint Drawing flourished during the Renaissance – an ancient technique favoured by old masters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael for its delicate portrayals. Prusa was inspired by the paintings in Renaissance domed churches and began immersing herself in silverpoint drawing. She combines the technique with contemporary media such as sculpting resin, fibreglass, metal foils, and even LED lights, allowing us to re-imagine the life of life’s origins. Depending on the complexity and scale of her creations, a single piece may take thousands of hours to complete. Initially focusing on hemispherical forms, she gradually mastered the 360-degree sphere and recently transitioned to innovative flat artworks.
Carol Prusa: Strange Attractors is her first solo exhibition in the UK. It features the titular artwork, Strange Attractors, a monumental nine-meter-long scroll, and a series of delicate silverpoint additions. A striking exploration of the dynamic forces shaping human energy and the cosmos, it depicts a person’s chakra or energy lines flowing outward, symbolising the interconnectedness of the individual within the universe. On the reverse side of the scroll, Prusa’s poetry deepens the work’s conceptual richness, offering a reflection on the experience of being alive. Her verses explore existence’s sensations, while fundamentally engaging with the likes of Friedmann Equations by linking abstract cosmic forces to the vitality of this life. Through this fusion of living laws, Prusa suggests that the chaotic forces of the universe mirror the fluid energy animating the human body, “as above, so below.”
Her silverpoint drawings on paper merge simplicity and complexity, with geometric forms – especially circular compositions – interwoven with overlapping lines to create dynamic equilibrium. And delicate signature techniques give these works a quiet precision, while each piece reveals an inherent order within apparent chaos, inviting contemplation. Giving form to the feeling of living within these idea-logical matrices; seemingly random events ultimately lead to poetic encounters, just like strange attractors. Putting theory into practice, a recent focus of hers has been a partnership with Google Deep Dream including topical conversations around the intersections of her work with AI and machine learning.
With each stroke contributing to the gradual emergence of a detailed and expansive network of art, Prusa’s dedication to her craft and the intensive labour inherent in her process, not only enhances its visual impact, but also imbues it with a sense of timelessness and deep personal investment. As Bernice Steinbaum writes, “Her domes evoke ideas of origin, mysticism and sacredness. The effect of examining the beautiful intricacy and interconnectedness of Prusa’s forms is that we become aware of the impact we leave on our own globe.”
