Holland masterfully blurs the boundaries between geometric abstraction and his background in sculpture within this focused piece, Dover. The colorful and geometric assembly of shapes that vertically spans the entire center of the fiberglass surface exists as the primary subject of the piece. The chosen colors of the artwork – particularly the protruding, pastel subject and the imperfectly gray, industrial background– create a foundation of high contrast and shadow. The expression of line further proves to be a prominent element in advancing a three-dimensional quality to a two-dimensional, painted surface.
Although traditionally acclaimed for his work in sculpture, Holland exhibits his multidisciplinary artistry through the applied painterly qualities of his two-dimensional pieces. He explained, “I wanted to do things I could pull off the walls, in the sense that they weren't as physical as normal sculpture. I wanted them to be paintings that just stood. Color that stood!”. As explored in Dover, Holland adheres to a balance of strength and fragility, thus suggesting his choice to create with such uniquely industrial materials. Holland’s work ultimately challenges modern understandings of depth and never quite rids of his devotion to three-dimensional art.
Description written by Natalie Lavezzari, 2025.