The Fragile Art of Hard Materials

In this exhibition we present a compelling dichotomy between hard-edged materials and fragile forms. Using bottle caps, broken glass, strips of metal, plaster, wood and sheets of hard acrylic, these artists skillfully transform these hard materials into softer and more evocative forms. In each work, these raw materials transcend their industrial nature— inviting the viewer to reflect on the dynamic contrast between strength and fragility.

Using hard edged fractured bits of metal woven together, El Anatsui creates vibrant, visually harmonious draped quilts. Sculptors Arman and Rickey transform bronze and steel into dynamic reinterpretations of recognizable objects. Nevelson’s assemblages of discarded wood and found objects are imbued with rhythm. In “Sky Case,” her universalizing shade of black and the distinctions of form are all that remain. The rounded shapes echo each other and create a visual rhythm. Segal’s softly formed female figures emerge from the rough texture of the plaster —the figures carrying marks that indicate the artist's hand and remind the viewer of its inherent material. Herbert uses heated sheets of hard acrylic to create the rounded organic forms of her bold sculptures. Danziger breaks glass into shards, skillfully bending stiff wire to cradle each shard into a complex net of wire armature and forming recognizable natural forms like birds or insects.