A footing, is a solid, stable, reliable barrier, whether it's acting as a practical foundation underpinning, a bulwark of resistance or a spiritual groundwork. It supports weight and is designed to absorb the forces that act upon it. Concrete is to building what flour and water is to baking - it's the most basic of elements stirred together to yield something entirely new and resolved. It is generally permanent and impervious to the natural world for many generations.
The work in Footings derives from several sources. It picks up on threads of creative activity from both my art world and real world experience. Working with concrete has not only served a utilitarian function for me (income, structure, personal use), its conceptualization is significant in concise ways. The act of mixing, pouring or casting cement is a complete and satisfying process in itself. The forms that I discover in this work are simple cast bodies that represent both of these spheres and yet stand alone. This show is also dedicated to the memory of my father, Jack Niven, whose life in the construction industry and as a compassionate role model has informed the greater part of my work ethic and inquisitiveness about the world.