Duet, 2026 by Lucinda Burgess

Duet (2026) consists of two vertical elements made from reclaimed wood battens, each lightly marked with pencil and installed in measured proximity. The work establishes a restrained spatial dialogue in which proportion, rhythm, and light become active components of the composition. The narrow interval between the two elements generates a shifting interplay of shadow and surface, allowing the work to register differently as ambient light and the viewer’s position change. The wood, weathered through prolonged exposure to coastal conditions, retains its grain, tonal variations, and traces of erosion. These irregularities remain visible, carrying the history of the material into the work. Burgess’s pencil interventions are minimal and deliberate. Rather than functioning as image, the lines operate as a form of calibration, quietly emphasising the dimensional structure of the wood and drawing attention to the relationship between surface, edge, and depth. The composition balances mass and line, presence and interval. The two elements neither merge nor separate completely, instead holding a measured tension that animates the surrounding space. In this way the work extends beyond its physical components, activating the wall and the changing conditions of light as integral parts of the composition. Within Burgess’s practice, Duet reflects an ongoing interest in the relationship between control and exposure. The reclaimed wood carries the marks of prior use and environmental contact, while the artist’s restrained interventions establish a careful framework through which those conditions can be observed. As part of Morphosis, the work continues Burgess’s exploration of material transformation and the quiet agency of surface, where time, light, and structure shape the experience of the work as much as the artist’s hand.