Artist Registry
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STATEMENT OF WORK
Michael Velliquette: The Distance Within Us
June 11, 2025 – August 22, 2025
Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum
605 Azie Morton Rd.
Austin, TX 78704
https://www.umlaufsculpture.org/
"The Distance Within Us" explores the expansive, yet quiet realm of interiority—the invisible space where thought, feeling, and presence converge and dissolve. Michael Velliquette’s hand-crafted paper sculptures and new powder-coated metal works act as anchors within this intangible domain, offering meditative reflections on human connection, presence, and consciousness.
Velliquette’s paper sculptures, crafted from metallic-coated paper in gold, silver, and bronze, radiate a subtle luminosity, reflecting the inner light of being. Through meticulous techniques—cutting, shaping, and texturing—he transforms paper into symbols of timeless human experience, such as eyes, hands, profiles, and stars. These layered forms invite viewers to pause and reflect on their own awareness, drawing attention to the delicate balance between fragility and strength.
The exhibition also features Velliquette’s new exploration of metalworks, a medium he has recently embraced. While more reductive in form, these pieces share the same archetypal language as the paper sculptures, offering a reflective presence. Their mirror-like surfaces interact with light, creating a dialogue with the viewer’s own gaze.
Velliquette’s exploration of perception and presence is rooted in a non-dualist perspective, suggesting that awareness is our true nature—an interconnected experience that transcends the illusion of separation. Through his work, Velliquette invites us to reconnect with this shared awareness and return to a more grounded, peaceful state of being.