Looking like they crawled out of a strange artillery, Pierre Matter’s sculptures are a science fiction-infused blend of human, animal and machine. Matter’s work is hybridized in technique as much as it is in subject matter: the artist fuses found objects and scrap metals, employing a variety of tools to weld and sculpt them into new forms. Weighty and large-scale (many of the works are several feet taller than average human height), his sculptures of animals are filled with intricate, mechanical details. These cyborgs can’t help but remind us of contemporary discourse about the ever-presence of technology in our day-to-day lives. For his current show at AFA NYC, “Hybrid,” which opened on May 17, Matter says that he took inspiration from the ways nature has influenced science. The result is a thought-provoking glimpse at where technology has been and where it’s headed.
Inside her workshop, Sabrina Gruss re-animates found natural materials and animal remains into eerie sculptures. The artist has said she's inspired by her own family's history and a multi-faceted view of death in her works. In terms of inspiration within fine art, she cites outsider and fringe art, as well as Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon.
Using the unexpected material of spaghetti, designer-artist Alice Pegna creates elegance and striking pieces adorning mannequins. Her series, "Ex Nihilo," features ongoing experimentation that encompasses headdresses, dresses, and objects. The strands’ rigid, uncooked form allows the artist to craft geometric designs, culminating in the bold final result seen below.
Currently living and working in Brooklyn, sculptor