 Reach, 2006 Watering can and spouts, silicone and cable, 18 1/2 x 41 3/4 x 34 3/4 in., 46.99 x 106.05 x 88.27 cm Rachel Selekman Spray New Sculpture Priska C. Juschka Fine Art is pleased to announce the opening of "Spray," an exhibition of new sculpture by Rachel Selekman. "Spray" will be the artist's third solo exhibition at the gallery, following "Sculpture" in 2003 and "New Works: Drawings and Sculpture" in 2004. In this current body of work, Selekman revisits concepts of growth and sensuality by creating an innovative environment distinguished by dynamism and playfulness. Selekman's sculptural works are composed of new and used metal watering cans, which she has significantly altered by dissevering and recombining their spouts. The viewers are therefore confronted with a range of oddities upon entering the space - a single spout protruding from the wall displays a bouquet of colorful flowers; a truncated watering can on the ground has "grown" fabric tentacles in place of its spouts; and a multi-spouted can hangs from above as its gleaming silver chords cascade onto the floor. All of the works display a contrast between the cold metallic body of the cans and the luscious fabrics and flowers that accompany them. These materials project warmth and intimacy, consequently enticing the viewer into observing the objects from up close. Seemingly inanimate, Selekman subtly infuses the works with human characteristics, which in turn elicit overt references to both nature and sexuality. The watering can is seen as analogous to the female body - a container that possesses the function of nurturing others, while the male body is referenced through the phallic form of the spouts that permeate the exhibition in various manifestations. These objects, whether they stand alone or interact with each other, are suggestive and alluring, as they invoke sensations of sexuality and connectedness. By crafting this vibrant environment and incorporating captivating materials that stream into one's personal space, Selekman lures the viewers into witnessing and participating in an unexpected game of seduction. Selekman holds an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn. Her sculptures and works on paper have been the subject of several national and international solo exhibitions, as well as part of numerous group exhibitions in Cologne, Traun (Austria), Bogota (Colombia), Rivignano (Italy), Chicago, and New York, amongst others. She was the recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award in 1997-98. Her work is in many private and public collections and has recently been added to the Drawing Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Exhibition: October 19 - November 18, 2006 Gallery hours: Tues-Sat 11 am - 6 pm and by appointment Priska C. Juschka Fine Art 547 West 27th Street 2nd Floor USA-New York, NY 10001 Telephone +1 212 244 4320 Fax +1 212 594 5452 Email gallery@priskajuschkafineart.com www.priskajuschkafineart.com |
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