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| Brunswick E 13 14x14x2_oil on felt |
Krista Svalbonas is an artist, fellow collaborator and close friend! Her work is included in a group show at Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Larchmont through April 21. I am excited about the materiality, textility and sculptural feel of this work which contrasts the architectural geometry. Here is a review of Krista's recent installation that was in Kutztown, Pa.
I asked Krista for her statement and influences for the new work:
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| Brunswick E 02 14x14oil on felt |
I have a longstanding interest in architecture, particularly urban environments. My work deals with low-income housing complexes; modernist architectural ideals, drawing from Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Soviet architecture; and the phenomenology of space. My cultural background as an ethnically Latvian/Lithuanian artist has informed this interest. In both countries’ capitals, during the communist era, cultural buildings were repurposed into warehouses; churches were demolished; the old town centers fell into decay. New constructions were made cheaply: no insulation, inadequate plumbing and heating. My connection to this history has made me acutely aware of the impact of politics on architecture, and in turn on a people’s daily lived experience.
I document what I see extensively, mostly through the use of a Fuji Polaroid camera for its instantaneous and immediate results. These images become the source material for my work.
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| Polaroid 4 |
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| Polaroid 08 |
There are particular artists that have inspired me due to their use of materials, their relationship to architecture or their use of space. A few of them are:
Lastly, I continue to be influenced by the work of my peers and friends, too many to name. I feel very grateful to be surrounded by a wealth of fabulous artists whose tireless efforts continue to bring me inspiration in the studio.
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| Brunswick E 04 14x14 oil on felt |
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| Brunswick E 4 14x14x2_oil on felt |
