Kingston, New York is becoming known not just for its rich history and natural beauty, but also for its world-renowned artists. On many a quiet back street, artists have built their studios in abandoned commercial buildings in this once thriving industrial city. One such artist who has settled here is Arlene Shechet, who is currently having a one woman show at Storm King Art Center in the Hudson Valley.
The show presents two bodies of work: smaller ceramic and mixed media sculptures inside the gallery, and towering steel and aluminum sculptures outside on the expansive grounds of Storm King. The work is both inspiring, fun and a totally joyful experience.
Shechet has had several one person shows across the nation including a major survey of her work at the ICA in Boston in 2015. Shechet has worked with many materials over the years including steel, wood, glass and paper. A newer material added to her repertoire is clay. She started working in clay in 2007.
Jim and I recently toured the show with Shechet at Storm King. She stated the smaller pieces indoors were the seeds from which the larger sculptures were born. It is clear that clay is a wonderful medium for her vast imagination. She has mastered the medium and is able to manipulate it in daring and unconventional ways. The glazes are particularly vibrant and create dynamic surfaces to visually explore.
Girl Group is made up of 6 gigantic outdoor sculptures which, to this viewer, seemed playful with their rich, vibrant colors and decidedly female in their ability to convey deep emotional intelligence. It is highly recommended that you get there to see it if you are anywhere near the Hudson Valley! Girl Group is now on view at Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, NY through November 10th, 2024.
