On Being
CURATOR: KIM POWER - POWER ART PROJECTS
• Virtual Exhibition: December 27, 2020 – February 27, 2021
• Panel Discussion: Wednesday January 27, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Curatorial Statement/Description: Curated by artist and art writer Kim Power, the artists included in this exhibition have been chosen for their diverse perspectives which are manifested in works which present classical to conceptual explorations of the inner workings and outer physical characteristics of the human condition. From birth to death, full of desire and compassion, despair and fragility, humanity is spun out in a multiplicity of materials, from clay to copper wire, wood, marble, paint and newspaper.
Since the onset of the Coronavirus, we have been faced with an issue that we often push aside with all of the distractions available in our daily lives, now arrested in time—the ephemeral nature of our very existence. Awareness of human needs, desires, weaknesses and strengths have become elevated. Yet—at the same time—we have become passive observers, only able to interact through the help of technology and minimal socially distanced gatherings. We wear headphones to better hear our conversations. Staring at screens, we have become one with the machine. What does it mean to be human?
Aristotle tells us that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Therein lies the mystery and the measurement of human existence. How we use those parts and to what end defines our humanity—or the lack thereof.
Navigation: In a physical, in-person, exhibition you would be experiencing the artworks based on their placement in the gallery space, free to roam around and view them in random order. While viewing artwork online allows for a similar experience through scrolling, Power invites you to consider the visual and contextual relationships of the works as they are placed in sequential order. You will find the name of the artist and a link to see more of their work, followed by multiple views of their selected piece. As you click on each image, you will be directed to an intimate view of their work in close detail. Additionally, each artist has uniquely and thoughtfully responded to a series of questions posed by the curator:
1) What is your perception of the human condition?
2) How does your work embody that perception?
3) What does the materiality of your work add to the conception of your ideation?
4) Would you say your work embodies Apollonian or Dionysian ideals? Why? (Asked as a reflection on the duality of human instinct versus intellect.)
About the Curator: Kim Power is a painter, writer, curator and teacher living in New York City. She has exhibited since 2002 in solo and group shows throughout the U.S., France and The Netherlands. A graduate of the New York Academy of Art (2014), Power has written for numerous art publications, including The Brooklyn Rail, ARTPULSE magazine, and Art Aesthetics magazine, to name a few. She has been curating and co-curating for many years, including the highly successful Natural Proclivities exhibition at the Shirley Fiterman Art Center in New York City. Power has contributed to and moderated panels, as well as conducted live artist interviews for Nohra Haime Gallery, Shirley Fiterman Art Center, Lodge Gallery, Hionas Gallery and New Hope Arts Center. Kim has taught at the New Jersey City University (2019, 2020) and will be teaching a series of professional art practice workshops Branding for a New World in January 2021 for the New York Academy of Art. Through Power Art Projects, Kim provides art writing, consulting and presenting services for galleries and artists in New York City and abroad.
Selected Artists:
MASOUD AKHAVANJAM
FERRUCCIO BABARCICH
WIEBKE BADER
SEBASTIAN BIANCO
DAVE CHANNON
LUCIANE CHERMANN
MARTIN DARBYSHIRE
NOSIRKHODJA FATKHULLAEV
KATHRYN GOSHORN
BRANDY GREEN
LORI HOROWITZ
JASON JASPERSEN
LAURA KARETZKY
BERNICE SOKOL KRAMER
WILL KURTZ
CATHERINE LINDSAY
ASHLEY LYON
WINIFRED MCNEILL
SONDRA SCHWETMAN
MIKE SELBACH
VICTORIA SELBACH
MALINA SINTNICOLAAS
ANNE STANNER
HILLARY STEEL
VICTOR VEBER
LINDA VONDERSCHMIDT-LASTELLA
Nosirkhodja Fatkhullaev
Nosirkhodja Fatkhullaev, Split, plasticine, papier mache, metallic wire, 40 x 23 x 26 cm, 2020
“In my work, the transmission of a person's state is a priority. Since I consider diving into a state, one can better contemplate art.
I convey state through an expressive approach to sculpture. Where there are many sensory reactions in terms of perceptions of both the world of metaphysics and the physical world.
I mainly work with clay, since in clay you can feel the volume with your hands and give free rein to improvisation. After molding, I like to experiment with limited materials, through which you can get in touch with nature.
I think my work has both Dionysian and Apollonian aspects. I am more inclined towards art, which carries both a rational and a sensual response to the world.”—Nosirkhodja Fatkhullaev
Will Kurtz
Will Kurtz, Adorra, wood, newspaper, tape, glue matte medium, wig, 66 x 30 x 22 inches, 2014
“The Human condition is that of everyone trying to find their way through life with their own path. We have partners in life and friends and family, but basically, this is a path we have to go on our own. This path gives us great joy and deep sadness. It is this recognition of this path in others that connects us and allows us to show empathy. These paths and life experiences that connects us and shows us that we are all the same. We are all trying to make the best of this human experience.
My work is about empathy toward others. I try to show in my work how we are all important no matter our status in life. I portray everyday people who are all heroes for choosing to live life and do the best with their circumstances.
I use recycled found objects, and newspaper. I like the raw, ephemeral quality of newspaper. It feels temporary just as we are temporary on this earth. I like the idea of using an everyday material we see daily to show that we are everyday people with common basic needs.
I would say the underlying structure of my sculptures are Apollonian. The armature is very precise and measured and balanced. The sculpture is highly realistic with correct anatomy and proportions. I work directly from photographs and rarely vary from it at this point. The surface collage is Dionysian because i am very free and spontaneous when it is applied. I treat the sculpture like a three-dimensional abstract painting and often forget it is a person. The underlying order and correctness allows me to be to be very expressive with the collage and still have the sculpture feel alive.”—Will Kurtz
Ashley Lyon
Ashley Lyon, Mother, ceramic, 70 x 24 x 24 inches, 2020
“As a figurative artist, my process is always an attempt to "image" myself for either perspective or as meditation on my being-ness.
I am disinterested in the mere duplication of a hand, foot, or head of traditional figuration. Alternatively, I want to locate the sensation of being human - this only arrives through making.
For me, fragmentation and gesture can engage realism and the uncanny in a more convincing and complex way than the illustration of pathos or narrative. Clay allows for my entire process to remain alive, chance and mishap are invited participants.
My ideas start in a logical place but my process and clay material invites the unexpected and allows for something more emotional to be embedded in the work.”—Ashley Lyon
Dave Channon, Detroitus, steel, 8 x 6 x 5 feet, 2019
“People are the most fantastic animals that have ever existed on Earth. Brilliant minds, Olympian agility, heroic achievements. Nevertheless, billions are suffering every conceivable catastrophe all at once all over the world. It is partly the result of our fatal flaw. We are susceptible to mass delusion. Today, E-media enables novel delusions to propagate swiftly like an epidemic of madness “going viral”. Entire populations are infected with fictional facts and unrealities. The human condition is mentally fragmented, as though our delusion immune system is overwhelmed. We can’t tell real from fake!
Making art has always helped me keep it together when the crazy world freaks out. Art is a process that gives meaning to the meaningless. My early collages reflected a haunted disjointed jumble of society in chaos through the eyes of a playful teen. You are challenged to figure it out, not certain if there is a message to get. Two decades of “Dave Channon’s Volcanic Video” on Manhattan Cable TV squeezed multiple mentalities through the montage meat grinder of flash edits.
Welding steel takes collage from the ephemeral to the concrete. Representational 2D images trick the mind into seeing something that’s not there, like a hallucination. Even the appeal of abstract 2D art depends largely on techniques of illusion that make flat appear solid. Steel has real solidity you can grasp, no doubt about it. Hard, heavy and magnetic. But within my scrapture each fragment retains its original identity, while merging with the whole to create a new entity. The gap between the two is often funny. For example, the nose and penis on Detroitus are made from identical lawn chair feet. Sometimes the gap is topological, like mobius metal origami.
I have always described myself as Bacchanalian, due to certain party animal tendencies. “Detroitus” is Apollonian. He is completely focused on the act of hurling. Every muscle, tendon and bone are orchestrated with the logic of physics. He is one finely tuned machine from his knurled big toe knuckle to the tip of his flinging index finger. His ideal discipline and peak of physical perfection is frozen in time, an instant before the explosive release of the disc.”—Dave Channon
Luciane Chermann
Luciane Chermann, Artificial Intelligence (a critic of the idea that the artificial intelligence will substitute the human,) grout, 9 x 4 x 12 cm, 2020
“Our human condition is what allows us to create. Art is inherent to this condition, and it is, I believe, what underlies human evolution. The intellectual soul, from Aristotelian point of view, is what allows us to think. Thinking and intuiting come from the human condition. Thinking, perceiving, observing, intuiting is what makes us come into contact with reality. Only art gives us the possibility to enter other realities and thus understand our own.
In my work, the human condition is almost atavistically present, because the human body interests me, as well as human conflicts, their social and emotional issues.
I have a need to express my questions through painting, sculpture, installation and even videos, through the medium that is within my reach at the moment. Regardless, the underlying threads that hold them together are a constant. These are social issues, criticisms, concerns that materialize at the moment of immersion in the concept of work and its resulting outcome.
I would say that both Apollonian and Dionysian ideals operate in interaction in my work. The Dionysian always prevails in the period prior to the conception of the work, and the Apollonian appears at the time of its execution.”—Luciane Chermann
Bernice Sokol Kramer
Bernice Sokol Kramer, De La Mer, papier mache, newspaper, acrylic, 52 x 29 x 25 inches, 2016
“At this very moment with the death of my husband 10 days ago, I am grieving my terrible loss. We have experienced birth and death of those close to us and celebrated our life together with humor and tears .He supported and encouraged my experimental creativity. He was my protector. My sculptures deal with our shared mourning of loved ones.
The sculptures contain and release the spirits of loved ones.They could be called ghosts. Their outer coverings or skin act as protective shields or silent speech. De la Mer and Strumpelsack reflect our absurd topsy turvy journey in life with their upside-down orientation. Steinway Suite No.1, recaptures the playful, fun times in childhood under my family's Steinway grand piano. Gold in the Morning Sun commemorates the mother and child relationship. Queen Mab is the presiding matriarch, ceding her chair or throne to no one.
My sculptures appear as if floating. Psychologically situated between sadness and joy, they have the buoyancy of humor. Papier mache, lightweight and usually associated with crafts, does not convey the gravitas of other materials like clay, bronze or wood. My use of papier mache is not merely theoretical, it is empirical in that I initially used a heavier material (air dried clay) which wasn't successful. Newspaper (papier mache) communicates words beneath the paint, and is simply manipulated. I layer, roll and twist the newspaper as if coiling clay and can form appendages which double as armor and speaking "tongues."
In all art, in the true sense of the word, the wildness or abandon is dependent upon the initial structure. You can't have one without the other; it would be boring/chaotic. With the structure, the creative impulse is released - free.”—Bernice Sokol Kramer
Malina Sintnicolaas
Malina Sintnicolaas, Always Growing Never Healing, crochet red yarn, velvet, ceramics, resin, 98 x 102 x 30 inches, 2020
“I believe the human condition is unique to each individual based on culture, economic status; gender, sexuality etc. I don’t believe that any experience can be exactly the same. It is a collection of complex human experiences from birth, growth, trauma, knowledge, moralities etc, that shape the type of being one becomes. I also believe emotions are essential to the human condition. Everyone will experience each emotion at least once in their life whether it be love, sadness, happiness, or grief etc., all of which will be activated by outer situations, and will affect how humans act in their lives.
Emotions, despite being experienced by everyone and being essential to the human experience, are widely ignored and pushed aside by society. Mental illness is at a high, especially now as we are experiencing the COVID-19 Pandemic, because we are coming to terms with emotions we have repressed, and are experiencing collective existential dread. With my art, I represent emotions associated with depression, trauma and anxiety through sculpture. This is not for the viewer to understand the specific emotion, but to create a space of contemplation of our interior lives that are often too illusive and repressed to understand.
I work in ceramics and fibre sculpture because they are both emotive materials. They remember, ceramics cracks under stress, fibers unravel; they can be so light but when accumulated, can be heavy and dense, and they can both be so strong yet fragile or soft at the same time. This correlates to the subject matter of my work, because like the materials, the human psyche is fragile and unpredictable. I then use these material properties to transmute whichever emotion I am representing, whether through repetition and tension to evoke anxiety, or the dense overbearing weight of a material for depression.
I would say my work embodies Dionysian ideals, because it is so embedded with emotion, excess, and chaos. It does not align with the Apollonian attributes of balance, harmony, and reason as it is embodying the exact opposite of that. In my process, I use accumulation, tension, and repetition until it borders on absurdity to translate the complexities of emotions and mental vibrations. In addition, I then embrace a form’s technical and material flaws as I believe it enhances the idea and representation.”—Malina Sintnicolaas
Linda Vonderschmidt-LaStella
Linda Vonderschmidt-LaStella, Those Who Forgive, ceramic, 10 x 8 inches, 2012
“Essentially, I believe we are beings in relationship: First, with ourselves, which also implies our Creator, then, as human, “of the earth,” recognizing ourselves as one of the earth’s creatures, intimately connected to Gaia and our whole planetary system and finally beings in relationship with other humans.All of those relationships are multi-faceted and continually in flux, as we grow and broaden our encounters on each level. And because we are human, of the earth and hence, imperfect, our interactions often require asking and giving forgiveness.
My approach to every sculpture I create allows me to ‘stand creature to creature’ with my material…not dominating it, but engaging it, respecting it, working collaboratively with it, recognizing and working with its strengths, testing its limits, coaxing the clay into new dimensions. Furthermore my imagery reflects my understanding of humans in relationship with each other and that one of our core connections is through our ongoing need to ask and offer forgiveness. Verbal engagement, emotional presence: my work speaks to those as well.
Clay is the ideal medium to express my ideas; it speaks to both who we are (connected beings) and what we are (human / ‘humus’ / distinctly earthly). I always select a clay body reflective, not only of its function, but to underscore the meaning of a specific piece. This is particularly true when I select an earthenware clay or even a sculptural terra cotta clay. With that material, as many creation stories tell us, I can sculpt a human figure using the primal, mythic material used by the Creator.
I believe my work tends more to the Dionysian. While form is an important element in creating the piece as a work of art, the emotional aspect is the stronger one. My desire is to connect with the viewer on a level of feeling, so that they might recognize themselves in my work. I try to keep a sense of immediacy about my figures, including movement, as though we just caught them in conversation or embrace.”—Linda Vonderschmidt-LaStella
Martin Darbyshire
Martin Darbyshire, Excalibur, polystyrene packaging, Sculptmold, spray paint, found objects, 72 x 31 x 19 cm, 2020
“The human condition is shaped by the technology that surrounds it. Although science can empirically reveal our neurological complexity, patterns of behaviour remain unchanged for millennia. Our impulsive desire remains a carnal instinct in a society that uses the convention of rationalism to manipulate it in new ways.
Our experiences remain central to how we see the world, and although we spend time trying to forge our path, ultimately life remains out of our control. This fate, which arises from been born with an expectation of death is the perennial question that guides our inquiry into life.
In the same way, our bodies have evolved around the objects designed to transform them, the form my sculptures take are in part guided by how everyday objects ‘fit’ or ‘connect’ together. The objects themselves are instinctually collected, initially without rhyme or reason other than an inclination to select things that have become non-functional. Thereafter rationality, based on theoretical understanding and a desire to order, pushes against instinct. This process of ‘thinking through making’ is reliant on tacit knowledge. But this search for knowledge is never quite enough to quell a suppressed desire for the unattainable.
Materiality is fundamental to my work because the context is created by the interrelationship between different elements. My assemblages experiment with matter to set up dualities, both visual and haptic alongside the theoretical. By using manufactured objects that are in part governed by chance, because the objects are found, the work tries to mimic the uncertainty of life by using disparate materials to create new meaning. Ultimately the function of these dualities is to create an ambiguity the arises from positioning them in a new context.
My work thrives on setting up visual and contextual dichotomies’. A common methodology is using chance and order, which is both Apollonian and Dionysian. The work fluctuates between to two, but perhaps the outcome leans toward Dionysian ideals, in that although carefully considered it tries to emit the spontaneous energy found in the street. The work always starts with destruction, from which it uses personal interpretation to form something new and unknowing. Despite the use of theory to rationalize the decision making, humour outweighs this, which is evident in the final work. ”—Martin Darbyshire
Masoud Akhavanjam
Masoud Akhavanjam, Ballerina II, mirror polished stainless steel, 32 7/10 × 12 3/5 × 13 2/5 inches, 2017
“Thousands of years ago Homo Sapiens became the most powerful creature to walk the earth thanks to his intellect. However, today humans are using their intelligence to push the boundaries of their nature to the brink of endangering their own existence. One example is their incapability of accepting beauty in all its forms, which is demonstrable by the widespread use of surgical means to alter our bodies to the point of achieving unrecognizable artificial creation. This shows the fragility of mankind which seems too often dominated by internal emotions and desires rather than reason.
My work portrays the struggle between opposing forces that are at the core of civilization. Through my work, I investigate how humans can reconcile beauty and toughness, evil and good, rationality and emotivity, heart and reason. I combine the sensuous and graceful forms of the human body with the hardness of materials such as stainless steel and bronze to demonstrate the ability of mankind to coexist in between paradoxical forces.
I chose to execute my sculptures mainly in stainless steel because although this is one of the hardest and strongest metals created in modern times, when shaped in the form of a human body, it has the quality to appear soft and pleasing to the eye. The ability of this material to create gentle shapes and curves, such as those of the human body, despite is toughness is what makes it so suitable for the creation of my sculptures.
My work embodies Dionysian ideals because it plays with the notion that impulsivity and emotivity are too often the dominating forces in human decision-making processes. We tend to believe that we are Apollonian, rational beings, as our intelligence and logic is ruling and controlling us. However, when we look at our past history and the future of the human species and of our planet earth, our only habitable environment, we can conclude that our decisions and strategies have not always been informed by reason. This demonstrates that there are strong limitations to our logical ability to think and act.”—Masoud Akhavanjam
Brandy Green
Brandy Green, Norepinephrine of Annunciation, ceramics, chicken wire, light bulb, 25 x 42 x 34, inches 2020
“My perception of the Human Condition is an ever-persistent negotiation for cognitive control. My research of Neurophilosophy has led me to believe that the majority of our functions belong to the physical object that is the body. I use memory formation as a specific example of this bodily agency as our memories shape so much of how we act, but the formation of memories is out of our control. The fragility of our memories echoes the vulnerability of being human.
I use the natural functions of fired ceramics to push the fragility of the piece. Wether it is in my "Phantom Limbs" series or in my series of "Brain Studies", my work highlights the fragility and imbalance of control within the human body. I find beauty and honesty in allowing the clay to crack and break off as it interacts with both outside and internal forces, which are shown through poured aluminum, fibers, and manufactured materials.
Clay has a memory of its own. It will warp as it dries and in the firing process according to previous actions that it has experienced. Having that memory that is disassociated from consciousness is something that we humans share with clay as memory formation is out of our cognitive control. By firing a piece, I add time and value to the clay. Through the destruction and revival of these ceramic forms I show not only our fragility, but also our resilience. Each material used alongside the ceramic forms pushes either the fragility or the resilience.
My body of work mixes both Apollonian and Dionysian ideals. Much like the work of Giacometti, I cannot separate the existentialism that is rooted in showing the vulnerability of the Human Condition, and yet, I do not exclude the hope found in the resilience of the wire armature hidden beneath the ceramics just as his figures are still standing, still moving forward. The body has a level of agency without my cognition, but there is comfort that it continues to heal when I am mentally exhausted. The two do not have to work in unity for me to keep going.”—Brandy Green
Sondra Schwetman
Sondra Schwetman, River of Doubt, hand-dyed silk organza, hand applied paint pen, painted sewing pins, welded steel hanger, 40 x 20 x 2 inches, 2018
“My perception is that the human condition is one of constant change.
My work is like poetry about change and that human condition.
My work is very much about materiality. I use materials as metaphors.
My work is Apollonian. It is about reasoning.”—Sondra Schwetman
Catherine Lindsay
Catherine Lindsay, Immerse, polymerized gypsum (FortonMG), fiberglass, acrylic paint, wax varnish, 49 x 76.5 x 22 cm, 4.1 kg, 2018
“The human condition is one of curiosity and self-conscious awareness. Our ideas drive us to explore and understand materials, which in turn leads us to gain expertise in every field from the arts to science. While competition and survival drives our aspirations to understand the material world, we are hyper-aware of what is not material in ourselves – our innate capacity for thought and creativity. Above all the human condition is to wonder about everything, from our very existence to the nature of thought itself and, if it doesn’t exist, creative humans will imagine it and create it from “nothing.”
My work embodies my perception of the human condition by conveying that determined thought and vision can bring about change. My ideation centers on ancient mythical beings as guardians of ancient coral reefs, who exist in deep contemplation with timeless dedication. I’ve fashioned their appearance to create an aura of peace and protection. Coral materializes, as though from a centrifuge of contemplation spanning the ages, which embodies hopes for the continuity and ongoing survival of the coral reefs of the world. I am asking the viewer to wonder afresh about the intrinsic value of coral ecosystems and their ongoing protection.
Creating objects that would appear at home in a live coral ecosystem required materials that would be like coral: hard, strong, and colorless enabling detailed texturing, coloration, and the ability to construct thin, branch-like structures with adequate strength. In terms of material form, I needed to make the sculptures taper down as thinly as possible at the base, to draw attention to the idea of an imminent “breaking point” for coral. In terms of material structure, stability is achieved by counter-weighting to the base, thus achieving an air of poise, but suggesting that perhaps this poise is only transient.
My work embodies more of the Dionysian ideals. The sculptures exist in an underwater mythic ancient world in deep states of contemplation. Their androgynous (Dionysian) faces gaze inward, suggesting peacefulness on the outside, but at the same time an unrelenting focus on a sacred duty of guardianship. The surfaces range from intricately textured to smooth, but the overall energy infusing the whole sculpture has an underlying fluidity, in tune with “the liquid principle of things” (Farnell.) This applies to the narrative about the whole underwater environment to which they belong.”—Catherine Lindsay
Mike Selbach
Mike Selbach, Head&Phones, maple, basswood, glass, brass, copper, aniline dye, headphones, 14 x 5 x 7 inches, 2017
“The human condition is a state of experiencing opposites. One might be bathed in love at one moment and filled with hate at the next. One might be miserable, cold and hungry one day and content, warm and full the next. Everyone, rich or poor, experiences life in contrasts. You only know happiness when contrasted with sad.
Smooth or rough, colorful or plain, hard or soft. My most frequently chosen material embodies opposition.
Wood grows from a seed, young and very small to old and massive. One living thing slowly morphs into something very different. I choose wood for it's natural qualities, the material itself speaks with grain and texture.
My work is neither Apolonian or Dionysian, it's a little of both. I don't think anyone or anything is either Apollonian or Dionysian. Maybe an extreme person can be mostly one or the other but nothing is pure and simply Apollonian or Dionysian.”—Mike Selbach
Kathryn Goshorn
Kathryn Goshorn, Finger Slip, acrylic, plaster, and birch plywood, 13 x 12 x 2 inches, 2020
“Contemplating the human condition inevitably leads to theorizing about the purpose of life and how behavior can affect its quality. I think the purpose of life is maintaining a balanced connection to each other and to our environment. It’s our duty to understand the space we take up and our influence as we move through the world and interact. And like echoes, our actions will reverberate and help us judge how we’re doing. Am I causing harmony or chaos? Am I helping or have I inflicted pain?
I’m inspired to depict those echoes of action, or cause and effect, where the effect is irreparable and we’re left to speculate about the cause.
Building up the images in low relief and camouflaging the topography in paint encourages investigation. The surface, much like the content, is optically uncomfortable and poses the question “why?”. And isn’t that always the question when an action leads to violence?
I would consider my work to be Apollo trying to make sense of his brother Dionysus. The highly rendered closed form creates a lens of clarity and control through which to view an occurrence of chaos and spiked emotions.”—Kathryn Goshorn
Laura Karetzky
Laura Karetzky, GreenStare.1, Porcelain, 7 ¾ x 8 ½ inches, 2019
“As we wholly rely on live media platforms to perform our daily functions, I am questioning: Who is the "self" on the screen? Are we seeing ourselves as something other than ourselves ? Is that "me" on the monitor an other, out there, in another space—as I am here, at home in this room? That's the confounding part, and that is why we can't stop staring at our own doppelganger. We are asked to be in our bodies and out of our bodies at the same time.
My preoccupation since 2014 has been to depict our experience with virtual communication platforms—this analog tool that distances us, and also holds us together— Now this work feels all the more urgent, and has made me realize that perhaps part of the idea I am trying to figure out is: What do we see?
Recently I have begun self-referencing, using my own paintings as outside source material and recombining them as coupled narratives. In this way I am using my own visual constructs, mixing and matching to find a new story. The idea of repetition is something I never considered before now. Sometimes, I will make “after sketches.” Upon finishing a painting, I will then go right into making a duplicate version of it, relying mostly on muscle memory from what I have just figured out: I am practicing my own language. It’s the opposite of a preliminary sketch, which I’ve always found tedious.
The idea of simultaneity is something we are now acclimating to. We are living a narrative inside a greater narrative, where there is a story, and there is the actual story, there is fake news and there is real news. At the moment I am fascinated with the idea of making work which confounds several techniques and perspectives at once. I am engaging my materials to expose textures and surfaces with varying degrees of focus and clarity, both spontaneous and deliberate. My work is an exercise of alchemy, as a means of dialog between the actual with the virtual.”—Laura Karetzky
Lori Horowitz
Lori Horowitz, Grieve, aluminum wire, spun copper, woven and sewn copper wire, 28 x 22 x 28 inches, 2020
“There seems to be an accepted social disconnect or disassociation, enabling us to ignore the undesirable or disadvantaged of society. Insensitivity, selfishness and disregard for one another, reveals an unnerving indifference that much of society is currently embracing. Assimilation and belonging are social issues, most relevant to our current climate.Technology’s scientific advances support humanity's growth, but we can't lose sight of preserving our precious environment. The harmonious co-existence of environment and humanity is essential. We are all one species, equally vulnerable and must stand together to find place, belonging and comfort in these uncertain times.
My work examines the frailty of the human condition in subject and form depicting isolation and vulnerability. These pieces internalize and project mundane, often overlooked interactions of individuals in society, creating compelling imagery and an intimate view of “persona”. Transparent encaustic wax relief sculptures depict individuals and their stories. Sculptures of wire mesh and gauze reveal figures whose existence is precarious. In my Exodus series, the delicate nature of humanity is portrayed through these ephemeral forms, creating haunting shadows as important as the physical beings. Capturing body language, gesture and expression and how they relate to emotion and character, are reflective of the human condition exposed in these works.
Technique and materiality are as important as subject and concept. Sculptural figures assume postures, shrouded in gauze and spun copper, that are ethereal and translucent. Strong in construction but appear light and vulnerable so the viewer can penetrate the surface to look deeper. Figurative encaustic wax and mixed-media sculptures have a life-like fleshy translucency. Light plays an important role in my sculptures. Lit both from front and back, creating shadows as important as the physical being. These skeletal forms created with photography, wire, papier mache, encaustic wax, torched copper wire and painting echo my concepts and message .
My work leans toward Apollonian principles. Complexity is a challenge that I embrace, finding order in chaos encouraging clarification and focus. My imagination is free yet focused in a very structured process to isolate subject and content. In my figurative relief sculptures, the process of encaustic wax sculpting is more Dionysian, unrestrained and intuitive. Alternatively, the weaving and sculpting of wire, mesh, gauze and fiber are more Apollonian, visually simplifying my message. They present pure, clear and meticulously structured forms with specific intent. Through careful process and technique, my sculptures encourage the coexistence of humanity and environment in harmony.”—Lori Horowitz
Ferruccio Babarcich
Ferruccio Babarcich, Wood Sculpture 1, wood with black Stain, wall mount, 15.75 x 8 x 1.5 inches, 2020
“There are times where we must find delight in the pleasure of art that is not referenced by anything other than itself. The experience of what we see and the intuitive response to how we feel about it matters most.
The works are not titled but only refers to the material and a number to differentiate it from others.
The material is natural and my hope that it evokes the simple pleasure of it and where it was derived from. A given material becomes useful by what is removed and what remains.
Sculpture is the most Apollonian of the arts and embodies the Ideals that apply to types of form or structure. It relies entirely on form for its effect.”—Ferruccio Babarcich
Anne Stanner
Anne Stanner, Contemplation, cast hydrocal (unique), 16 x 18 x 10 inches, 2005
“The human condition ranges the gamut of many, often opposing or contradictory, emotions, experiences, relationships, circumstances. We must put up with random or systematic misfortunes of disease, physical and emotional injury, financial disaster, natural disasters, an angry or indifferent universe, and general bad luck. At the same time, we are privileged to experience love, friendship, music, dance, sport, ecstasy, joy, and satisfaction at creative work. Our lives consist of navigating and tolerating the negatives and hoping for and enjoying the positives. It is never all one or the other. It’s the crest and trough of the wave.
My artwork is not all one thing. It encompasses a multitude of contradictions, expressions, emotions, feelings, whether it is the face or body of a figure, the rhythmic, logical progression of a wave form, or the wild, spontaneous joining of found objects. It replicates the vicissitudes of life.
The physical presence of my sculpture puts the concepts and ideations out into the world so that they do not exist merely in my brain or heart. The artwork is there for all to see and hopefully spark a feeling in the viewer and generate conversation with other persons or within oneself.
Because it is so varied, my work embodies both Apollonian and Dionysian ideals. The Apollonian predominates but the Dionysian frequently pokes its head and hand in from time to time.”—Anne Stanner
Sebastian Bianco
Sebastian Bianco, Abracadabra, Carrara marble, 58 x 50 x 30 cm, 2019
“Beyond the physiological need to survive and reproduce, facts biologically common to all living beings, man has always been intrigued by the unknown purpose of life and its mortality, as well as the meaning of its existence. In his search for answers, art was born, for example, pregnant Venus idolizing motherhood, sepulchral ceremonies to guarantee passage to another life, man has created works with the intention that they will last forever in materials such as stone and metal.I believe that art arises from humanity, as well as humanity arises from art.
Working on the concept of speciation is how I try to make my works express how nature undergoes a continuous evolution in its path.My sculptures can be presented as the interactive result of the mineral, vegetable, and animal worlds, an ancestral and original summary that has become a definitive language, being the result of a form of natural selection.The construction of this initiative traces how man undertakes to overcome the risks of his extinction and, with special emphasis on the forms, aims to give content and balance to the abstract and concrete aspects of human existence.
Man in his genesis used stone and metal as a medium, finding a condition of perpetuity, a post-mortem way of living. Immortality is the end of our creative means. As a consequence, I have chosen Carrara marble, historically distinguished for its high quality, as a material for my sculptures, handcrafted and generating unique pieces rooted from and to the earth, distinguished by the sinuous sweetness of the shapes, characterized by smooth surfaces, in which, at a slower pace, they contrast with situations where the stone appears in its roughest state as if returning to its mineral state, almost formed by crystals from ancient geological eras
I believe that a work of art, as well as many aspects of life itself, is closer to the absolute when it complements two opposing forces, masculine-feminine, ying-yang, generating a harmonious balance. From that point of view, it is that in my works the matter and the space play, the figurative contrasts with the abstract, the silences with the textures, the elegance with the wild. In this way, in my works, it is possible to appreciate the aesthetic expression, the metaphysical judgment of an Apollonian beauty as opposed to the imprint, the gesture of the play of creative and contemplative pleasure in a Dionysian form of expression.”—Sebastian Bianco
Jason Jaspersen
Jason Jaspersen, Carrier- Sheltered, ceramic, 22 x 7.5 x 10 inches, 2017
“I believe that humans ache to connect with others, to be understood, to be complete in ways that are hard to articulate. Something is persistently “not right” inside and that sometimes leads people to seek ill-conceived fixes. Human history is a record of regrettable shortcomings. But living in the present tells me that there are beautiful, un-recorded particulars in every life. Every moment presents a situation that can be interpreted as bleakly oppressive or overflowing with abundant beauty. I don’t think this is about ignoring anything, but rather about seeing more.
This series explores the physical and metaphorical idea of one human carrying another. At times we carry others, at times we become aware of being carried. Realizations about who has been carrying you, one’s own faults, unrememberable infancy, and various forms of isolation are intensely personal experiences that come only in moments when delusions of self slowly evaporate. I’m drawn to those moments of clarity and presence. I invite the viewer to consider these relationships in these sculptures.
I spent a 30-day residency in the organic world of Richard Bresnahan’s St. John’s Pottery studio with his apprentices and sustainable practices. These sculptures were made with local clay dug, processed, and stockpiled in a 300-year supply. The sculptures were fired along with about 10,000 other works in the studio’s large Anagama-style wood kiln. Surrendering to the unpredictable effects of wood firing and unfamiliar clay properties required my intentions to shift and adapt. I became aware of being carried by the generosity and expertise of the specialists at this studio as I joyously played with my ideas.
These works are about a place where dichotomies meet. A pure presence and sensory joy rides on the back of a self-sacrificing orderly foundation. This series shows a few allegorical scenarios in which one can insert themselves into the role of carrier and carried. By identifying these roles I hope to empower the viewer to a deeper understanding of their abundant lives. To be carried is a particular gift that ought to be recognized, relished, and acknowledged. To carry another is an honorable high calling that fulfills both parties.”—Jason Jaspersen
Victoria Selbach
Victoria Selbach, Unafraid Of My Hunger, wood, cotton batting, fabric, acrylic paint, 24 x 67 x 4 inches, 2020
“Interweaving body, heart and intention is critical to being human. The positive actions we take are paramount to the future of humanity. Yet, to get there we must fully recognize that no-one exists in this moment on their own volition. Each of us are the manifestation of divergent components spiraling and colliding through time and place. We were spun into existence on a complex web through countless generations. We have benefited or have been cursed by the stroke of humanity for eons. Just as our ancestors have either aided or cursed the rest of humanity. Time to wake up.
My work looks at women; our diverse generational feminine legacies and our lived experiences. I excavate the complex challenges of western culture while considering our complicity in where we find ourselves today. My work celebrates women who lead the way and more importantly challenges us to consider what we will pass on to our daughters.
In my life-size works I am building sculpture with materials that are recognizable and storytelling. The materiality creates a physical presence which is undeniable, confrontational and demanding. The assemblage of materials creates environments for the viewer to enter, mirrors allow the viewer to become the voyeur and collected items draw out latent memories. The installation of small constructions contains figures cut from hardwoods in various tones which speak to the construct of race. The figures are set against collected objects, that when seen together, walk you through an evolution of feminine identity.
Hah, the two sons of Zeus. The masculine false narrative of the binary. My work with women aims to unearth the full diverse breadth of reality and possibility. We hold and create space for diversity. We value the complexities and dichotomies that exist, at every layer, in all beings. We celebrate all aspects, all richness, all attributes. We rise together when we fully reject limiting constructs. Then we can embrace the vastness of righteous abundance.”—Victoria Selbach
Wiebke Bader
Wiebke Bader, At the end of a long life, Cherry wood, 41 x 23 x 23 cm, 2020
“Our outstanding characteristic is our ability to reflect upon ourselves. We have lost the capacity of being naturally at one with the world. Instead, we feel separated and uncertain. In order to regain inner strength, we seek for reassurance from our fellow human beings. We want to be seen and loved for who we are. The outcome of this struggle will become physically visible. If we react to the unreasonable demands of life with humor, with serenity or with bitterness and envy, it will be solidified in our wrinkles, our facial expressions, our posture and even in our voices.
My sculptures show figures that have successfully obtained a state of inner calm and harmony. To be loved for one's own sake, without performing, being compliant or representing anything. Harmony does not mean symmetry or freedom of tension, but a balanced relationship between tension and relaxation, between fullness and emptiness, between round and angular. A such, my abstract sculptures also document the feeling of being one with the world. This is how they relate to the viewer. Loving a seemingly useless object just for what it is nourishes hopes of being accepted and loved in just the same way.
I love variety and therefore use different materials. Each material is unique and allows a different design. With metal I create shapes that would not be possible in wood and through patination every cast comes out different. Wood, on the other hand, is a vivid and warm material made even more interesting by its cracks and knots. A connecting element of my sculptures are the smooth surfaces. They evoke the wish to get close and stroke them, to literally come in touch as with a dear friend.
If Apollo stands for rationality and Dionysus for emotion my sculptures are clearly Dionysian. They are created intuitively rather than planned. They reflect freedom rather than self-control. Their fluent forms symbolize the vivid rather than the orderly. They are perceived by feeling rather than by intellect, yet they lack the wild and uncontrolled part of Dionysus. Searching for harmony they also seek the balance between ecstasy and reason.”—Wiebke Bader
Winifred McNeill
Winifred McNeill, The Separation Begin, porcelain with volcanic ash & oxide wash glazes, 4 x 8 x 2 inches, 2020
“I view the human condition as that of a continual state of remembering and forgetting, in search of an unsolvable mystery.
My work always alludes to the fragmentation of memory and to the lost places of the lived life. A common thread in my work is the ongoing pursuit of the relationship between the physical world and the ambiguity of memory.
In addition to traditional substrates, I seek out common found materials such as bricks, seashells, commercial tiles, metal plates and plumbing pipes to repurpose as surfaces for glazes, paint or drawing.
The Separation is a ceramic series that does not directly use found objects, although it is based on the idea of an archeological artifact. Jagged sides and irregular edges suggest that each is a fragment from the rubble of a looted building, an object separated from its original place.
My work embodies the Dionysian ideal in that I am concerned with the human figure, (or a stand-in), caught in an uncertain moment of change. I am interested in the imperfection of mankind and the emotional turmoil of an uncertain physical world.
On the other hand, creating the work, while not linear, is entirely logical. I work in sets of series, for which I invent a set of rules and procedures which give the works a clear, rational purpose and coherent interior structure.”—Winifred McNeill
Victor Veber
Victor Veber, The son of tears, resin, 50 x 25 x 25 cm, 2020
“Humans are stuck in between a world that is either too big or too small. The human mind is not able to comprehend the immensity of the universe, as well as it is not able to understand what is hidden inside the smallest things.
The human is somehow stuck in a position where he doesn't fit in the world he is living in as he is unable to understand it. He has to accept this paradox, by trying to understand the world as much as he can, while knowing that it is absolutely impossible to really« know » anything.
My work is an attempt to capture this feeling of absurdity. My sculptures are an attempt to understand the human body as much as i can, even though it is impossible to ever know what another person feels or think. In order to do that, I am trying to find the right balance between a close observation of the human body, and imagination in order to talk about the feelings i want to convey.
In my opinion, the materiality of my work allows my ideas to become a reality. By creating a 3D object that lives in space, i create something that has a materiality and a reality. As opposed to the language for example, where the words disappear as soon as i've said them. A sculpture exists as long as it stands in a place where it can be seen. Therefore, i think that materiality creates a never ending conversation between the sculpture and its viewers.
I think that my work work is an attempt to reconcile both Apollonian and Dionysian visions. Nietzsche saw the greek tragedies as the ultimate way to reconcile those two parts of the artist's mind. I want my sculptures to be tragedies. I want them to embody the materiality, the real crude life of the dyonisian, and also i want them to be this strength to search for the spiritual world of the Apollonian.
From the hard truth of the absurd world, i want to be able to find the strength to search for something powerful and bigger than us. ”—Victor Veber
Hillary Steel
Hillary Steel, Loss, Ikat Resist Dyeing, hand weaving, sewing, cotton, 72 x 21 x 6 inches, 2020
“The human condition encompasses all that we are collectively – the good, the bad, the altruistic, the selfish, the collective good, the individual above others – all the emotions that delight and confuse us.
Through the process of making an object, I process the world around me and share my perspective on both my individual/personal experiences and public/national/international events and policies as they affect us all.
Textile processes are universal and old. Born of necessity and function, their design and intricate production has always been an important medium/material for artists. For me, a simple filament, a thread is the beginning point. With it I build/weave whole cloth that I manipulate/converse with and eventually use as a vehicle to hold and convey my thoughts/ideas.
I think that my work embodies both Apollonian and Dionysian ideals. Apollo was known for clarity and order, as reflected in the detailed planning/construction of my textiles. As one who has learned from master weavers and appreciates the history of my craft, the idea of “carrying on,” an orderly transfer of knowledge, has become more and more important to me. On the other hand, conceptually, if I am deeply struck by events, the design and structure of my work reflects more the Dionysian ideal of passion. I believe that the human condition reflects these two states of being, as does my work.”—Hillary Steel
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