ZERO SUM Greylock Arts, Adams, Massachusetts, autumn, 2011: A Word from the Artist, Richard Harrington
Adapting the themes of this exhibition to the space at Greylock Arts has been a joy. My goal was to be minimally intrusive to the stunning integrity of the materials of the gallery space which are almost all original to when the building was made in the 1920’s. The ornamental high tin ceiling, period cabinetry, hardwood floor, original deep jamb windows, ornamental light fixtures, and clear uncluttered walls make artwork shine. In short, its magnificence is quite a bit more than a clean well-lighted space.
I'm also inclined to believe that the less you try to do the better. This “bias” has come from many encounters where trying to do “more” has always resulted in disaster. So there is also an inclination on my part to use less light, rather than more.
I hope I won't put the reader off by using so many technical words, but they're a vital part of what has been an important exploration for me, and the words have specific and clear meanings. The terminology is appropriate, because it is the language of geometry—and is more widely used than ever, so it ought to not be a threat—and it is the means that I've chosen to build the sculptures in ZERO SUM.

