Kevin Francis Gray’s malformed and surreal figures, rendered in varieties of marble and fiberglass, exhibit both a more honest, visceral reflection of humankind in their incompleteness. The Ireland-born, London-based sculptor creates work that in its seemingly soft form, defies its stubborn material. Shown both against interior and exterior backdrops, that quality plays with its surrounding environment.
“The striking quality of these works lies in the tension between aggressive movement imposed on the material and the confidence emanating from the figures,” a statement says. “Gray’s youth, spent in a politically turbulent Northern Ireland informs the intensity of the movement—forceful, expressive gestures; thick gouges at the eyes; and claw marks in the spines of the nudes. The male and female figures that come out of this vigor emerge stronger than before, and stronger than Gray’s earlier introspective sculptures.”
See more work from the artist below.
Nomadic artist Stefano Ogliari Badessi crafts installations full of wonder across the globe. At Museo Civico Di Crema last month the artist kicked off a major project features his inflatable and found object-crafted pieces in an exhibition called “Wonderland.” His works often work as costumes and towering creatures with transparent portions that reveal the humans underneath.
Tracey Snelling's installations are immersive blends of sculpture, video, and photography, her makeshift buildings containing surprises in their windows and corners. Her recent, massive construction at the 58th Venice Biennale reflects on her experiences living in China, in particular. Videos shown within offer peeks into her experiences with friends; structures are inspired by actual places she visited.
The sculpted figures and paintings of Carlos Ramirez are constructed from a slew of materials and found objects. The Mexican-American artist reflects on "inequalities within Mexican-American communities and champions the common man as underdog." The artists counts among his influences: tattoo art, Oaxacan sign painting, vintage revolutionary posters, and much more.