The term "control entropy," borrowed from thermodynamics, describes the tendency for controlled systems to move toward disorder and complexity over time, despite efforts to maintain it. For his second solo show in London, CW Landon applies this concept and explores the fractious nature of control through the lens of epigenetic and technological influences. New sculptural works made from steel, bronze, plaster, paper, and sugar, alongside a series of new paintings derived from his research into stadium architecture and machine learning, will open on the 15th of November 2024, at JC Gallery.
By exploring the complex balance of control in both biological and technological realms, the exhibition examines liminality from the artist’s physical and inorganic perspectives. The use of body fragments, algorithmic inscription, and traditional casting techniques creates a complex narrative about the shifting nature of artistic authorship in a technologically mediated world. Landon inscribes code for an algorithm to predict DNA sequencing, nodding to the symbiotic relationship between gene regulators and algorithms. Self-organizing and automated, these mechanisms compete for authorship in their respective environments, exerting overt control with vast variability.
"Control often carries within it the seeds of its own destabilization. In trying to maintain order, we inevitably invite resistance and complexity. Autonomy and unpredictability, chaos, complexity, and power dynamics all contribute to this instability. This paradox mirrors our interactions with technology and collective environments, where the boundaries of agency become increasingly porous." - CW Landon, 2024
