@ Marc Foxx, opens tonight
"The narratives that these new works create ask for quiet reflection on what might be considered the small pleasures of life, as they are made in proximity to our daily rituals in the moments where object-hood is more than just function or form, but rather an intimate relationship and exchange with ourselves."
Binder With Magnifying Glass 2011 Patinated Bronze.
Ricky Swallowʼs practice has always addressed materiality and transformation, as seen with his previous woodcarvings and their processes of reduction. This new area of Swallowʼs practice involves addition, improvisation and construction. The subtle evidence of the cardboard and tape used to construct the original model is quietly at play on the tactile surfaces of the works. The artistʼs careful and specific use of color in the patinas references utilitarianism, modernism and the rudimentary design palettes of Native American Art. The color of the patinas seem effortless, but are, in fact, a very intricate process, which is in contrast to a classical, more traditional approach to treating bronze. References can also be seen in this collection from Mid-Century modernist art, design, architecture and ceramics.
Variations on the form of the French curve appear throughout the show as an adaptive and playful motif, which echoes the nature of the cardboard tubing material from which each work was created. The use of the top hat, in “Blowing Hats”, 2011 and “Hat Clock/Open Study”, 2011 has been adapted to signify both playful dynamism as well as formal contemplation.
Ricky Swallow, at Marc Foxx
November 19 - December 22, 2011
all text courtesy of Marc Foxx
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