MOLLY DILWORTH
I have an inclination to work with materials that have had an obvious life before I use them; it's a challenge and a pleasure to make something from nothing. In the last year my practice has grown out of the studio in the form of large-scale rooftop paintings for Google Earth. This project uses materials from the waste stream (discarded house paint) to mark a physical presence in digital space. My work is generally concerned with human perception of current conditions; the Paintings for Satellites are specifically concerned with the effects of the digital on our physical bodies. All my work begins with a series of rules derived from existing conditions. For example, the color palette for the rooftop paintings is made from the discarded paint available on a given day; the physical surface of the roof determines the shape of the painting. As this project proliferates, it will take two forms - a community model, using local volunteers and paint from the waste stream and a design/build model, using solar-reflective paint, solar panels and green roofing contractors.
BIOGRAPHY:
Molly Dilworth is a Brooklyn based artist who views creative practice as a form of research. Using data from a specific site as a structure, she gives form to things that invisibly motivate our actions. Her painting Cool Water, Hot Island was selected as the surface treatment for the 5 block 50,000 sq. ft. pedestrian plazas on Broadway in Times Square. Her 2010 rooftop painting was made in conjunction with the NYC CoolRoofs program which was commissioned by 350.org as part of their international climate change art initiative. As a 2011 Art & Law Resident, Dilworth is currently researching the African American Burial sites in Lower Manhattan.