Spy Emerson: Sculpture
Spy’s sculptural works occupy a broad set of visual styles and artistic aims. Some, such as Untitled (Jesus and Buddha 2004), are obviously informed by her collage work and the ironic reorganization of everyday visual culture. While others,like Chair (2004), attempt to formalize the more conceptual or poetic narratives that inform her artistic practice. Across all these works, however, Spy is interested in making manifest the ways in which all the raw materials that literally shape her three-dimensional work are recovered from otherwise invisible spheres within our culture (be this through Untitled’s glorification of mass-produced icons meant more for dark corners than well-lit alters, the broken furniture left to disintegrate in the rain that forms the base of Chair, or the recycled socks and thread that are fashioned into so many mute monkey dolls).
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Cocteau Chair Premise

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Cocteau Chair (view a): Cocteau Chair (view c): "chair", 2004, wood, lamb skin, silk, carpet thread, 40x18x12 in.

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Cocteau Chair (view b): Cocteau Chair (view c): "chair", 2004, wood, lamb skin, silk, carpet thread, 40x18x12 in.

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Cocteau Chair (view c): "chair", 2004, wood, lamb skin, silk, carpet thread, 40x18x12 in.

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untitled, 2004, mixed media, 9x4x7 in.

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"occupying space temporarily" (light-up beer cans), 2004-2006, multiple clusters of empty buffed or painted cans electrical wires, light bulbs, size varies.

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"things preserved", 1997-2001, mixed media in jars, 12x12x12 in.