In Pursuit of Ambiguity

In a lecture at the University of California Los Angeles, Bryan Young presented the work of Young Projects as an entrée to the firm’s new monograph, Figure – Cast – Frame. “Every time I say ‘ambiguity,’ I might not be entirely clear and that’s okay,” said Young in the only off-the-cuff comment of the night. He characterized the arc of the firm’s work as the pursuit of ambiguity—oscillation between part and whole, solid and void, what is and what isn’t. At Glitch House, patterned CMU blocks flatten the building’s form, blurring foreground and background. At Six Square House, discrete volumes are joined by a continuous roofline, creating a smooth flow from room to room. Young’s presentation bounced around from forays into plaster molding techniques to a discussion of the spatial qualities of the Donkey Kong arcade game. Attendees were often left pondering the connections between Young’s disparate interests and his oeuvre to date. Still, it made for an enjoyable ride.