Making Rainbows

Artists: Dennis Khalil & Gijs van Lith

Year: 2014 Medium: Photographic Wallpaper Installation

Dimensions: 343 x 555 cm

Two abstract paintings on display in a gallery. Two abstract artworks are mounted on a wall with a textured background in a gallery space, showcasing different color palettes and styles.
Two abstract paintings on display in a gallery.
People conversing in front of a colorful wall at an art exhibit. A group of individuals engaged in conversation in front of a vibrant, patterned wall at an art exhibit. The scene captures social interaction.
People conversing in front of a colorful wall at an art exhibit.
A vibrant pattern featuring horizontal stripes in multiple colors. A detailed pattern of horizontal stripes displaying a gradient of colors from pink to blue, suitable for various design applications.
A vibrant pattern featuring horizontal stripes in multiple colors.
Attendees at an art gallery event engaging in conversation. A busy art gallery event featuring attendees socializing and holding drinks in a well-lit environment.
Attendees at an art gallery event engaging in conversation.
A wall featuring a grid of green and white tiles. A wall displaying a repetitive pattern of green and white tiles arranged in a grid layout. The tiles create a visually striking design.
A wall featuring a grid of green and white tiles.
Interior of a contemporary art gallery with abstract artworks. An interior view of a contemporary art gallery showcasing abstract paintings on the walls. The space features a minimalist design.
Interior of a contemporary art gallery with abstract artworks.
A sequence of images showing a person painting on a blue canvas. A series of images depicting an individual engaged in painting on a blue canvas attached to a wall.
A sequence of images showing a person painting on a blue canvas.
A colorful wall mural with a gradient pattern. A wall mural displaying a gradient of colors in a grid layout, showcasing various shades from blue to yellow.
A colorful wall mural with a gradient pattern.
Attendees at an art gallery opening event interacting and socializing. A busy art gallery opening featuring numerous attendees engaged in conversation and viewing artwork.
Attendees at an art gallery opening event interacting and socializing.
A colorful grid pattern made up of small rectangles. A detailed grid pattern consisting of small rectangles in multiple colors, arranged systematically in rows and columns.
A colorful grid pattern made up of small rectangles.

Project Statement

‘Making Rainbows’ began as a question about process: what does it look like to make a painting, from the very first mark to the final gesture? And what happens when that process — which normally disappears the moment the work is complete — is itself captured, assembled, and displayed as the work?

In collaboration with artist Gijs van Lith, Khalil documented the entire creative process of making a single painting using a stop-motion film approach. More than 8,000 images were captured across the full arc of the work — then assembled into a monumental wallpaper, arranged in a modernistic grid pattern using every colour of the spectrum.

The result is not a painting, and not quite a photograph. It is a record of making — a testament to the validity of process as subject matter, and to the power of two artists working in close and sustained collaboration.

‘Making Rainbows’ was first exhibited at RH Contemporary Art, Chelsea, New York, in September 2014.

Inquiries

For inquiries regarding this project or other collaborations, please contact the studio.

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