LONDON, UK.- Contemporary Art Society and The Economist Group present Kate Davis - Target, on view through June 27, 2005. For her solo exhibition at The Economist Plaza, Kate Davis presents the third work in her Target sculpture series. The first was made in Poland, the second in Australia - which won The Sydney Water Sculpture Prize in 2002 and is now in Campbell Arts Centre Collection, Sydney. In each case the Target sculptures used the trunk of a native tree.

The work at The Economist Plaza is constructed from a English Oak (Querscus Robur ) and consists of the whole 12m trunk divided into two sections. Fish-eye mirrors have been inserted into the widest ends and the other ends are fixed with flat circular mirrors. The two sections are sited on the plaza to reflect the surrounding architecture and passers-by crossing from one side of the space to the other.

On the opposite wall facing the piece is a plaque with mirrored text reading:

fancy willow, fell ash, find oak

This references the process of making the work as well as the happenstance that can occur in everyday life. During the process of making this piece, Davis travelled the country in search of a willow, eventually decided on an ash, only to discover once the tree was felled, that it was in fact an oak. In addition to the pieces visible on the Plaza, a pinhole drawing of the topmost branch of the oak and its fruit [the acorn] has been placed inside The Economist Building.

Davis's use of native trees draws on rich and complex references from history, tradition and folklore. Trees have often been perceived as a link between earth and sky, as a channel between the earth [mortality] and the heavens [spirituality]. Similarly mirrors have often been used as an aid for prophecy and foretellings. In this way, trees represent doorways, both mental and spiritual to the imagination or dream world.

Since winning Young Artist of the Year, Whitechapel Gallery, London, Kate Davis has had numerous national and international exhibitions and publications. Recent group shows include Between Shadow and Truth (2005) at Embassy of Japan,ShowCASe (2004-5) at the South London Gallery and Rice Talbot, Edinburgh,Nightwood at R+M, Questionmark, Wait, error, Understood 2004 at National Museum of Art, Kaunas. Solo shows inc (crossing-closing) (2002) Gutleut 15, Frankfurt and Fugue (2002 loop), Berlin and Rhodes + Mann.

In 2002 Davis won the Sydney Water Sculpture Prize and in 2001 she won the Jerwood Drawing First Prize. Kate Davis is represented by Fred (London Ltd).