Inside Things by Ellie Abrons investigates the relationship between the interior and exterior. Abrons’s background as an architectural designer and educator is reflected in the way the mix of clear architectural forms are juxtaposed with obstructive elements that appear out of sync with the rest of the configuration. Here, collective parts that are alien to each other intentionally create confusion—parts are too big for their wholes and items don’t quite line up. In this way architectural devices can be seen as ambiguous, a notion amplified through the varied use of materiality that prevents the audience from attempting to rationalize the works’ form and objective. Often eccentric and obscure, many pieces in Inside Things appear to be grappling with their own legibility, unsure of the message they wish to convey, and in turn, symbolizing the very message of the exhibition.

Inside Things appeared at the at the SCI-Arc Library Gallery, Southern California Institute of Architecture (960 East 3rd Street) from March 18–May 01, 2016.