In a medley of art at the ‘Infusion’ opening at FPContemporary, Lisa Bartleson’s exercise in bringing forth new sensations from light, particularly with her Oculus No. 11, is immediately evocative and enchanting to perceive. There is a playfulness with the tactile which creates a moment of not so much distortion or confusion to the subject, but curiosity to the artwork – drawing us nearer to relieve the tension in our minds to what we are actually experiencing. This base novelty is perhaps the prime mover for all fine artistry, in that the subject ought to be perceiving the inconceivable in a moment of intensity which elevates perception until it is able to stabilize itself, to reflect upon the unknown thereby visually synthesizing a brand-new concept of beauty.

Indeed, Oculus No. 11 is beautiful in its captivation. We have the appearance of a stretched fabric with a sensually delicious pinkish hue that warmly invites us to investigate the rapturous texture which is being presented before us. And, marvelously, we come to discover this is no sufficiently organic textile but an accentuation of the material, reflecting light from a masterfully crafted bioresin surface to challenge our preconceptions of reflectance. The geometry of the work is a keen playfulness of its title, since our eyesight is naturally designed to focus and reflect light. This is not an optical illusion, therefore, but an optical truth, and with this extension of visual conceptions there is an edification of human perception towards a new concept of beauty.