Historically referenced and original


Drawn to the sculptural works that hang, glide and soak up the sun in the D lobby,  Stephen Gemberling, a local artist and sculptor stopped in for a closer look.  He had some critical observations to share about the student show “Sculpture–Syntax.”

“The pieces are thought out—there’s art historical references, but not copied from the pieces. You could say they saw the show of Picasso guitars, but it owns nothing to him other than it’s a guitar,” said Gemberling of Annelise Trezza’s guitar-like sculpure, “Natural Sounds,” made of found wood.

"Natural Sounds," by Annelise Trezza

 

Student work in the D-lobby exhibit

“The Dada piece—[the furry egg] it has a likeness to Meret Oppenheim’s cup and saucer covered in deer fur. This has fuzziness to it but it’s not that cup,” says Gemberling, himself a former gallery owner.

"Womb" by Olivia Taylor

“I could go on—It’s not a steel, but it’s inspired by it–Linda Benglis, (the American scuptor), she did a lot with wax-embedded things,” said Gemberling about Gabriella Giaconia’s piece “Lotus.”

"Lotus" by Gabriella Giaconia

“These are using the same materials but again, not stolen from art historical pieces. It’s using the materials they used but in their own way. I’m very impressed. In other schools they’ve been taught to make something that looks like an art exhibit, but the content isn’t always there.”

hanging sculpture by Eric Gottshall

“Like Braque (the fine artist) it has a brutish kind of elegance,” said Gemberling of the white plaster hanging by Eric Gottshall. “This is a delightful combination of stuff. Look at how this is strung. This is a worked out piece.” 

"24/7" by Marcel Bornstein and Harold Hernandez

“It’s so much further advanced than the stuff in the galleries around here. It’s better quality than what’s in the galleries. There isn’t anything here I’d be ashamed to show in a gallery,” said Gemberling taking one more look around before heading out.

Thank you, Stephen Gemberling, for sharing your thoughts and perceptions with us.

photos: Rachel Ellner


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