Developed for The Cube at Mosman Art Gallery, Locating the Pulse is a new sculptural installation by artist Kate Scardifield who is best known for her work that takes an expanded approach to textiles. This exhibition highlights new directions in the artist’s practice, incorporating video and a generative soundscape developed in collaboration with audio engineer Liam Bray. This inter-disciplinary approach reflects an area of contemporary art which embraces the intersection of traditional and new medias.

Kate Scardifield’s practice can be likened to a process of anatomical enquiry; mining history for intersecting systems and patterns that culminate in re-imaginings of the body, site and space.

In Locating the Pulse Scardifield attempts to negotiate ways in which the art object can exist as an alternate sacred relic or a potential surrogate effigy. Within the gallery, vaguely familiar objects appear to rest, lean and await some sort of enactment. In contrast the video piece captures an undulating movement between form and formlessness. Permeating the space is the sound of hands clapping – something made of and by the body, the reverberation of skin on skin. Just as quickly as you may find a rhythm or a beat it dissipates, unmade only to be remade once again.

Kate Scardifield is associated with ALASKA, an artist run initiative in Kings Cross, Sydney. The artist would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following organisations and individuals: Artspace, Andrew Haining, Sebastian Goldspink, Erika Schneider, Aileen Robalino and Maggie Scardifield.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.