Malus Sieversii

At first glance, Matt Johnson’s Malus Sieversii looks like a study in disposability, waste and decomposition. The life-size green apple seems to have been gnawed at, ready to be tossed away – but on closer inspection we can see that encircling the apple’s core, a mysterious Escher-esque winding staircase has been delicately worked into the flesh, and that something else is going on. Having studied under Charles Ray, Johnson shares his mentor’s interest in replicating found objects while incorporating into his works tricksy effects which beguile the viewer’s immediate perception of the object and reveal hidden layers of meaning; here, the seemingly throwaway quality of the sculpture is radically transformed by its intricate carving and luxuriant maplewood material. Playing with the viewer’s expectations, he infuses the object with a mystic quality, hinting at an esoteric divine presence behind its existence that reflects the work’s title: Malus sieversii is the name of the species of wild apple tree from which all modern types of apples descend, and supposedly the species of apple found in the Garden of Eden. Johnson’s work is a playful and elegant reminder of the myth and history packed into the most commonplace objects.