Will Handley's latest work explores the relationship between iconography, semiotics and representation. His works examine the transformation of meaning, taking common, recognizable objects and distorting their significance through the process of art-making.
In the titular work, N.O.W. (No Other Way), Handley establishes the direction of the show and his position as an artist. Here, an ambiguous acronym is presented with no context and no point of reference. The possibilities for interpretation, reinterpretation and misinterpretation are endless. The work's subtitle suggests the artist's intention, which itself seems to be an ironic comment on the traditional attitude to representation and meaning in art. Handley is not demanding one singular interpretation of his work, but pointing out the stifling nature of this mode of viewing.
The emphasis on the possibilities of interpretation and signification continues throughout the series. Simple iconographic forms are flawlessly rendered on large sheets of paper and then blasted with a shotgun. Handley, through this act, encourages viewers to see the marks of his transformation of meaning. Bullet holes riddle the paper, burn marks and gunpowder residue obstruct the painted image, drawing attention away from the painted icons and to the process of creation and distortion of meaning in a physical sense.
A range of smaller works depict various tools and weaponry suggesting notions of physical power and restraint. Handley’s sculptures, hung from the ceiling with nylon, float mysteriously throughout the gallery. They create an alchemistic environment; a world of magical and almost ritualistic talismans that are, upon inspection, assembled from recognisable and mostly unassuming household objects. These works are accompanied by a series of paintings which are careful studies of the surrounding sculptures. These studies depict their subjects in part, placed central but hanging off the canvas. This compositional strategy cultivates questions of potential and emphasis on what is left out. Handley uses these images to signify his approach to art-making and the representation of meaning.
Above all, Handley is concerned with the relationship between artist, work and viewer, and the possibilities for the creation and destruction of meaning through these connections. His works are loaded with semantic potential and constructive ambiguity, but are reliant on an engagement by the viewer. Reinterpretation is encouraged, as Handley inspires viewers to see this reconstruction of meaning as a positive, generative force.