The Tyranny of Sunk Costs

About the exhibition:
The forthcoming solo exhibition 'The Tyranny of Sunk Costs' will be showcasing the work of London-based mixed media visual artist Hooley. The exhibition is a profound journey into the realm of duality, drawing inspiration from the artist’s sense of opposing facets of his own character. This introspection, combined with the increasing polarisation seen in contemporary society has prompted a deep dive into the interplay of opposing ideas and emotions. It promises to be a visually and intellectually stimulating exploration of the tensions inherent in duality, both in personal identity and the wider social sphere.

About the art:
Duality is at the core of each artwork, from the individual titles to their meticulous and labour-intensive execution. Each piece is a stunning three-dimensional, geometric expression of the 8-bit binary code that makes up the letters of its title. This use of the binary system - the fundamental language of computers - as the foundation for each artwork places this exhibition firmly at the intersection of creativity and technology. The underlying geometry is coded and planned within rigid parameters, but every element is meticulously hand cast and finished, creating a tension between the purity of the initial concept and the humanity of the inevitably imperfect finish. The use of repeating forms to denote the binary ‘1’ and ‘0’ gives rhythm and order to each work, whilst the different juxtapositions of these forms and colours creates an energy and underlying sense of disquiet which is often explicit in the titles.

About Hooley:
The use of the pseudonym Hooley is also about duality; it represents the artist’s alter-ego or split persona, and serves as a way to separate this new work from his professional career as a photographer. Hooley counts artists such as Dan Flavin, James Turrell, Piet Mondrian, Josef Albers and Johannes Itten, Ben Nicholson, Carl Andre and Bridget Riley among his influences. “I want my work to pay homage to these inspirational artists” says Hooley, “but I don’t want to create meaningless derivative patterns; I need to add something of myself to the discourse and provoke viewers to explore their versions of duality too.” He has previously exhibited work in London and worldwide and published two hardback books of photography.