| Joseph Phillips & Jared Theis at dberman On view through May 26 Corinna Kirsch at May 18,
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Joseph Phillips and Jared Theis both present parts of recent series, where each work is a subtle variation on a theme, at dberman. Their works open up hidden spaces, while others lead to spaces only to close off what could be revealed. The objectness of Theis’ sculptures is emphasized by the pedestals on which they are placed. From far away, they appear as decorative objects, but upon eye-level inspection sculptural qualities reveal themselves. Like most of Theis’ work in the exhibition, City and Memory is a ceramic work held together with epoxy. Bone-white Byzantine-styled arches are architectural supports that hold white and rust-colored bio-morphic forms/oblong cones. The open arches lead the eye inside and under the sculpture and up to the conical masses that sway in a silent, invisible wind. Peering inside the cones ends the visual journey of inside and out, from light to darkness where vision no longer functions. Not all Theis’ works use architectural elements as sturdy forms of support. Ruins consists of a landscape of smaller, unconnected sculptures. All elements of Cathedral lean on each other, at times pushing their relative masses onto each other, while still wavering as if blown about in the air. Although many of Theis’ works integrate architectural elements with bio-morphic ones, at least one of the works, East Quincey, consists only of ceramic cones. They wave in the air like tentacles, stretching outward and inward in all directions and dimensions, leaning on each other for support. Phillips’ series of gouache, ink and pencil works on paper are also concerned with ideas that question perception and vision. The scenes within the works vary from images of banal streets and parks to fantasy theme parks. But the mundane becomes fantastical in Phillips’ work through its subjects’ covariance of perspectives. Each structure is realized on a cross-sectioned slice of earth. Surrounded by a white background, they float like islands on a white ocean. The titles of the works, including Street with Manhole Access and Chainlink Fence with Razor Wire and Flagpole, correspond to their commonplace and generic subjects. These straightforward titles could refer to almost any place with a street, flagpole or fence. Accordingly, all the works have been painted in the same muted color scheme. Although these standardized types repeat themselves throughout Philips’ series, each work provides subtle variations on how perspective shapes what can be known about each image. Corinna Kirsch likes pop-up books, European revolutions and Lee Hazelwood. She is also …might be good’s copyeditor. |
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