October 2006, Philadelphia, PA—Fête, an exhibition of artist-made objects, furniture, and multiples, brings together the work of ten artists. Playing on the festivities and anxieties of the holiday season, Fête includes several artists whose work has never been shown at Locks Gallery.
Installed as if a holiday celebration were in full swing, with all the ensuing drama involved, Fête includes functional works, including chairs by Arman and Richard Artschwager. The exhibition also includes delicate handmade porcelain plates by well-known Philadelphia ceramicist Jill Bonovitz and bronze candlesticks by renowned sculptor Bryan Hunt. Edna Andrade will be presenting a limited edition pillow based on her Op Art paintings of the 1960s.
Works created specifically for the gallery space include a large-scale installation of wall-mounted works by Virgil Marti. Appearing as large snowflakes and flowers from a distance, it becomes clear upon closer inspection that their parts are made from bones cast in plaster. Conceptual photographer Eileen Neff will present a billboard sized wall installation, slicing the gallery with views of a landscape and creating what one writer called “a meditative wonderland of sight.”
Several pieces in the exhibition share a Baroque sensibility, including Stuart Netsky's new series of silken abstract paintings, created from poured paint on elaborately framed mirrors. Works by Jane Irish include vases and urns in the style of Meissen and Sevres porcelain which incorporate imagery and text with a biting commentary on class, urban issues, and politics.
Other works in the exhibition include several chilling winter scenes constructed in snowglobes by the artists Walter Martin & Paloma Muñoz. Well-known painter Donald Baechler will be exhibiting one of his recent sculptures, an evergreen tree in a flattened form that recalls his collages and paintings.
