Michael Velliquette’s latest exhibition at Duane Reed Gallery shows how far he can push a simple sheet of metallic-coated paper. He cuts, scores, folds, and layers each piece by hand, building reliefs that feel closer to small mechanical objects than to flat artwork. Some rise in stacked tiers, others widen into concentric circles that seem to turn in place when the light shifts. The geometry is tight, but the work never feels sterile; the handmade edges give every form a slight tremor.
The show, titled “The Light That Sees,” brings together 21 works that circle around two ideas: the physical behavior of light on reflective paper and the way focused attention shapes what we notice. Velliquette’s monochrome pieces make this easy to see. When everything is reduced to one color, the shadows do the heavy lifting. Rounded cuts catch the light differently from notched edges, and the whole surface becomes a map of small decisions.
Velliquette often returns to a few recurring shapes—eyes, stars, florets, discs—but they function more like building blocks than symbols. Around them, he fits dozens of smaller parts: triangles punched with holes, scalloped circles, thin rings. Some compositions read like diagrams of repeating cycles. Others lean into loose imagery, including flower-like forms with faces or profile silhouettes circling a central point. The tone shifts from meditative to playful without breaking the visual language.
The gallery’s statement notes that the slow, repetitive labor behind each work is central to its meaning. The pieces aren’t just objects to inspect but invitations to match the artist’s level of attention. They’re meant to be seen slowly, not skimmed.
“The Light That Sees” is on view in St. Louis through December 13. Additional work appears on Velliquette’s website and Instagram.
