Last Friday morning found me boarding the train to venture into New York to spend the day with the amazing
Lotta Helleberg. After grabbing a cup of coffee, we began strolling through Chelsea.
Our first stop was
Kim Foster Gallery. As you walk through the door,
Kwang Young Chun's work of wrapped and bound mulberry paper offers a quiet greeting.
To me, the triangular pieces wrapped in mulberry paper are basic units
of information, the basic cells of a life that only exists in art, as
well as in individual social events or historical facts. By attaching
these pieces one by one to a two-dimensional surface, I wanted to
express how basic units of information can both create harmony and
conflict. This became an important milestone in my long artistic journey
to express the troubles of a modern man who is driven to a devastated
life by materialism, endless competition, conflict, and destruction.
After almost twenty years, I was now able to communicate with my own
gestures and words. Kwang Young Chun artist statement via website
A spot of color around the corner caught my eye and provided a surprise when I stepped
closer for a good look at
Christian Faur's work with crayons.
My earliest memories of making art involve the use of wax crayons. I can still remember the
pleasure of opening a new box of crayons: the distinct smell of the wax, the beautifully colored
tips, everything still perfect and unused. Using the first crayon from a new box always gave me a
slight pain. Through a novel technique that I have developed, I again find myself working with the
familiar form of the crayon.
Because of the three-dimensional nature of the crayons, the individual surface images appear
to change form as one moves about the gallery space. The images completely disappear when
viewed from close up, allowing one to read the horizontally sequenced crayon text and to take in
the beautifully colored crayon tips -- all the while being reminded of that first box of crayons. Christian Faur via website
Ambling on down the street, a flash of red in the back of a gallery catch our attention. One look at each other as if to ask "Do you want to go in?" was all it took
for us to enter
David Zwirner gallery in order to get a closer look at
John McCracken's simple, yet exquisite sculptures.
My works are minimal and reduced, but also maximal. I try to make
them concise, clear statements in three-dimensional form, and also to
take them to a breathtaking level of beauty. –John McCracken via David Zwirner website
Minds and imaginations reeling, we made one more gallery stop (which requires a post of its own) before
enjoying a leisurely lunch at
Cookshop. It was the first that either of us had eaten there, but certainly won't be the last.
If you follow
Lotta on Instagram, you've seen shots of her mark making journal. Well, this is it! Not only was I lucky enough to see it, but to get to meander through its pages as well. It is a work of art in itself.
And so are Lotta's mended jeans. She was working on these when we met in DC back in December so it fun was to see them being worn. Makes me consider mending my over-worn jeans rather than cutting them up to become my journal covers.
Our last stop was the wonderland that is
ABC Home. These handmade paper wrapped bundles are just one of the examples of the treasures this store holds.
All too soon, it was time for Lotta and I to go our separate ways. The return train ride provided a bit of time to reflect on the day's art; to consider why it was the more seemingly simple pieces that held me spellbound. There's an idea beginning to form. It needs time to percolate first, but it's there. And that's good.
