Where: M at Mercer 49 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10013, (Gallery basement level)
When: February 17th – March 5th, 2005, noon – 6pm (Mon-Sat)
Contact: Blair Voltz Clarke, info@voltzclarke.com
It has been said that when we listen to our dreams, we are listening to the teacher within us. The works of WONJUNG CHOI, SASHA SYKES and SOPHIE STAERK explore new realities as intense and paradoxical as an insomniac’s dreams.
Korean born Wonjung Choi believes that life is full of contradictions, especially what we define as certainty. Things that seem certain and true one day may later turn out to be the opposite. Among the many parts of the body, the bones can be considered to be the most definite and certain in structure and form. From this form of the human skeleton Wonjung Choi makes uncertain images with sheets of transparent plastic, hot glue and fishing line. Viewing these skeletal structures brings up thoughts of evolution and the changes that occur to the body over time. Using halogen spotlights, the transparent sculpture casts mysterious and magical shadows. The physical result invokes transparency and weightlessness. The result is both solid and ephemeral.
The artistic, Sasha Sykes specializes in creating bespoke artistic furniture. Drawing inspiration from the rural, agricultural heritage of her native Ireland, Sasha’s work combines high tech and organic materials. Her first piece to receive international attention was a simple plexiglas cube packed with straw stems from her family’s farm in County Carlow. Subsequently all of her work has focused on her fundamental inspiration: the natural cycle of growth, life and decay. “I like to represent the incredible beauty of the rural world in another context. Working with acrylics and resins allows me to expose the textures and forms within a familiar overall structure, creating a rural aesthetic for urban times.”
Copenhagen painter Sophie Staerk explores the uncertainty and fragility of the contemporary human being and how one’s identity is shaped through fashion, interior, trends and lifestyle. The creation of identity opens up innumerable choices that can make one more confused than satisfied. “I usually work with recognizable images, because I like that my audience can see what’s its picturing. People get their own associations thoughts through my work. The media, society and the over production we are surrounded by provide us with an incredible amount of visual images -most are supposed to communicate a message of beauty and aesthetic. My simple approach is to try to add beauty and meaning in different layers. “
Founded in 2003, Voltz Clarke Contemporary Inc. is an art consulting and curatorial company based in New York City. The company’s focus is garnering exposure for contemporary artists, as well as introducing international artists to the U.S. market, through public exhibitions and private consultation. Principal, Blair Clarke, 32, has over seven years of gallery associations, curatorial projects and consulting relationships. She was a show director with Sanford Smith and Associates, as well as an associate at the Forum Gallery in New York and the director of Galerie Timothy Tew in Atlanta. A global traveler, Clarke believes one should cast a wide net in order to identify new talent. She is intrigued by the rich diversity in work found often in unexpected places.
The Venue, M at Mercer, a contemporary furniture and accessory showroom located in the heart of Soho introduces the best in contemporary design from all over the world to the American public. With an emphasis on Italian design, M at Mercer regularly carries a wide array of home decor accessories, furniture and lighting products from the latest Salone del Mobile in Milan and company owner Monica Melhem’s frequent buying trips throughout Europe. Argentinean-born architect and interior designer, Melhem renovated the space, transforming what had been a warehouse and a theater into one of the most interesting showrooms in Soho. The lower level is the perfect gallery setting for the Insomniac Dreamer artists as it boasts generous proportions, cathedral ceilings and cast-iron columns.
