Continuum: A Collaborative Installation by Jennifer Crain and Rachel Hellmann

Artists Rachel Hellmann of Terre Haute and Jennifer Caine of New Hampshire have collaborated on this two-story, site-specific installation, on display through March 18 at the University of Indianapolis.

Continuum consists of 13 wooden cubes, each 36 inches square and wrapped in black roofing paper. The blocks are painted in grays, blacks and touches of more vibrant color, with tick marks intended to convey the passage of time and the labor of the creative process.

The project follows previous installations created by the pair during residencies at The Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, Ill.; the Interface Residency in Batavia, Ill.; and the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Mass.

Described in their own words: “In Continuum, the artists draw on their knowledge of color, light and surface from their backgrounds as painters to construct an immersive environment out of commonplace materials. The accumulation of hand-painted tick marks and cuts are a record of time and labor – essential elements of the creative process. The interaction between these elements creates a sense of play and visual mystery, inviting the viewer to move through the space and experience it in a fresh way.”