These works draw inspiration from ideas of duality of what is real and illusionary, organic and non-organic. This series of work, Excavatum specifically references the interplay between positive and negative sculptural shapes in space. Challenging sculptural tradition by using new materials and techniques, Manzione applies recent technology to carve plastic forms that fluctuate between the whimsical and the grotesque. The artist employs digital modeling, three-dimensional scanning, computer numerically controlled milling, and rapid prototyping to manufacture each of the objects on display. Echoing the artist’s sculptural forms, two-dimensional lenticular prints reveal three-dimensional imagery when viewed from different angles. A prodigious ink-black cavern interrupts the white box architecture of the gallery, suggesting erosion or decay. This negative space affects the integrity of the entire room. The stark black and white palette seems cold and unearthly. The treatment of the interior surface with black pigment makes it difficult to judge its depth.
