Saturday was a wonderful night. White clad tables lined with artists and art lovers alike lay snaking around each work, creating an angular sculptural piece within the layout of our wonderfully large monthly dinner. A fitting stage, as we were all here to grab the rare opportunity to speak and drink and eat with the seven eclectic artists that have come together to create our beloved show The World We Live In The Worlds We Create. Wine and conversation were already flowing as our guests arrived at their seats and the first course rolled out. Our beloved, Marisa Sage opened with a brief explanation about the dynamic of each artist and their piece, about how she first met each of them, and how over a number of years came to envision each work coming together as both a separate and singular entity in the context of the show, which you can see a sneak preview of right here.
Each artist took a moment to discuss their labored loves presented in our show. First came Patrick Jacob, who spoke of creating secret worlds within his “diorama like pieces” that the viewer feels as though they can tumble into. The grass in the piece is in-fact cat hair, little white hairs painted green to perfectly emulate miniature blades of glass. Who would have guessed? Although this famous cat was not his, but his neighbors who is appropriately named Daisy. These miniature worlds of Patrick's that we can access only through a peep hole seen oddly familiar, they lure you in and then “the pull the rug out from under you”.
As the second course was plated and presented before our guests, Justin Stewart stood to tell us about his two pieces. Justin spoke of his interest in the shifting of ideas over space or time. time being such an intrigale part in the building of these detailed pieces. He feels he is a builder at his core, “enjoying playing with legos”. Similar to this is Mathew Northridge, who talked of how each of his pieces is slightly different each time it is constructed, changing and morphing into something different depending on any number of outside factors, including the viewer!
“An artist's responsibility is to create your own empire,” said Langdon Graves. Langdon's sculpture is her rendition of a mask created called “the god complex”, in which the wearer recieves electromagnetic impulses that send messages to the brain, meant to emulate a religious experience. Langdon continued to speak of her interest in the concept of placebo and the ongoing phenomenon that is religion, leaving us all enthralled.
Diana Puntar, however, caught our attention by turning off the lights. Her massive, vibrant sculpture is designed to glow as it hangs imposingly from our roof, but how often have you seen our gallery in the dark? It was the sort of magic moment we're coming to accept at our dinners.
Last to speak was Jessica Stoller, who uses her new techniques in the tiny doll like works now on display. By dipping lace into liquid clay, then burning away the lace during the fireing process, Jessica creates very delicate, very hollow porcelain figures. Largely, Jessica's work deals with issues of idealised femininity, and the subjigation of the female body in religion.
The Worlds We Ate was such a wonderful dinner, and a lot of fun, as seems to be an ongoing theme. Previous dinners have been just as good, so plan now to attend our very next, very special dinner at the Roger Smith hotel. It's on April 10th, so RSVP now! In the meantime, we want to say a big thank you to all our artists and everyone that came last night and we hope to see you all again. Lots of love!
