Phase is a study of water, combining video footage and synthesized graphics to generate evolving patterns of motion. The work explores formal similarities between electronic and natural wave imagery, resulting in the emergence of a hybrid visual language. By gradually adapting to movement in its environment, Phase seeks to establish a contemplative relationship with its viewers.

Barry Ace’s textile practice draws its inspiration from the floral and geometric beadwork motifs of historical Anishinaabeg arts of the Great Lakes. Through the reclamation of salvaged electronic components and circuitry Ace transforms the refuse of the technological age into complex floral motifs. He is referencing Anishinaabeg beadwork as a metaphor for cultural continuity, bridging the past with the present and the future, and as a demonstrable act of nationhood, resistance and modernity.