While Hashimoto Contemporary recently exhibited at art fairs like Scope Miami Beach and the LA Art Show, the San Francisco gallery made its official debut with a solo exhibition by Crystal Wagner, “Synesthesia,” on March 8. The focal point of the show, Wagner’s immersive, site-specific installation wraps around the gallery entrance. The artist created the porous structure over the course of a week using everyday materials such as plastic table cloths and chicken wire, embroidering and sculpting the disparate elements into a cohesive whole that echoes the sense of harmony found in the dense plant life of rain forests.
Wagner’s process is a tactile, repetitive one. When closely examining the work, one can see the frayed edges of the table cloth and imagine the frantic ripping and weaving that went into creating such a flamboyant work. The neon, coral reef-like structure is embellished with screen-printed designs that protrude like butterfly wings from its peripheries. By night, the installation’s warm, inviting colors are illuminated from inside the gallery’s glass facade. By day, the openings in the work create a glowing effect as the sun sets behind the piece over the San Francisco horizon.
The installation is complemented by small, framed paper sculptures Wagner refers to as terrariums — tiny, portable worlds. These paper sculptures mimic exotic flora. Layers of lilac, aqua and hot pink paper curl and open up like flower petals and float like the appendages of sea anemones, echoing the organic forms in the installation.
Check out our exclusive opening night photos below.
Crystal Wagner with Hashimoto Contemporary owner and curator Ken Harman. Photo courtesy of Shaun Roberts.
Crystal Wagner as seen through the other side of the installation. Photo courtesy of Shaun Roberts.
