Hedreen Gallery, Lee Center for the Arts, Seattle, WA | June 27 – August 23, 2008
Mapping the Unknown: A Visual Exploration of Subterranean Space
The Hedreen Gallery at the Lee Center for the Arts proudly presents Sited, an exhibition by Leo Saul Berk that delves into the histories, myths, and cultural significance of underground spaces. Blending topographic mapping, drawing, and sculpture, Berk offers a compelling visual interpretation of Naj Tunich, a sacred Mayan cave believed to be an entrance to the underworld.
A Fascination with Subterranean Spaces
Berk’s inspiration for Sited began six years ago, when he traveled to Guatemala and stumbled upon Naj Tunich. Once an active site for Mayan religious rituals, the cave has since been secured under government protection due to vandalism. This encounter sparked Berk’s deep interest in how different civilizations have understood and interacted with underground spaces, viewing them as both sacred and enigmatic.
Part of an ongoing series exploring negative spaces, Sited examines how cave maps, though traditionally two-dimensional, fail to capture the immersive, labyrinthine nature of these geological wonders. Through drawing and sculpture, Berk provides a more tactile and experiential perspective on a space that is otherwise inaccessible.
The Exhibition: A New Perspective on Naj Tunich
14-Foot Drawing: A Web of Contours
At the heart of Sited is Berk’s 14-foot-wide drawing, meticulously constructed from a three-dimensional computer model of Naj Tunich. Using topographic contours to outline the cave’s structure, Berk creates a delicate, web-like depiction of its winding tunnels. His choice of Gelly Roll pens, with their shimmering, playful ink, introduces an unexpected levity—a contrast to the dark, mysterious connotations of the cave’s history.
Foam Model: The Negative Space of the Earth
Accompanying the drawing is a sculptural foam model, which physically represents the void that the cave carves into the earth. This negative-space approach shifts the viewer’s perception, emphasizing the volume and form of what is typically unseen. By rendering absence as presence, Berk highlights the spatial and cultural importance of underground environments.
A Journey Through Time and Space
More than just a visual study, Sited offers an experiential exploration of subterranean spaces. Berk’s work allows viewers to engage with cave exploration through abstraction, transforming an ancient, sacred void into an aesthetic and conceptual journey.
By merging scientific mapping with artistic intuition, Berk creates a body of work that is as much about human perception and interpretation as it is about the physical reality of the cave itself. The exhibition challenges viewers to reconsider what it means to explore and represent spaces beyond our immediate reach.
Leo Saul Berk: Sited
Curated By Carrie Scott
About Leo Saul Berk
Leo Saul Berk’s work has been exhibited in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York, and is held in several permanent collections. He is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, and his work has been widely discussed in national publications.
Through his explorations of architecture, topography, and the unseen, Berk continues to push the boundaries of how space - both physical and conceptual - is experienced and represented.
