{"id":36262,"date":"2016-10-30T18:44:33","date_gmt":"2016-10-30T22:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artoronto.ca\/?p=36262"},"modified":"2016-11-20T15:15:41","modified_gmt":"2016-11-20T20:15:41","slug":"rock-about-at-the-canadian-sculpture-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/v2.artoronto.ca\/?p=36262","title":{"rendered":"Rock About at the Canadian Sculpture Centre"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rock About: Rocks that Transform<\/strong><\/p>\n

With natural materials, fourteen sculptors produce an enticing exhibition: Rock About<\/em>. Whether it is carving or assembling found stones, the exhibition is thematically intertwined: transformation of otherwise static and lifeless stone into meaningful artworks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Elizabeth Merei with her sculptures Truth, Italian agate \u00a0marble and Opus I, alabaster, acrylic base. Courtesy of Canadian Sculpture Centre<\/p>\n

Mary Ellen Farrow completely transforms a piece of Indiana limestone into a witty piece entitled \u201cwhy knot\u201d. Two bands wrap around the lower and upper parts of the sculpture forming a knot, hence, the name. While conforming to the original qualities of the stone, Farrow produces an abstract sculpture with rhythm and movement. As the body of the sculpture moves upward like a flickering flame, the bands counteract creating X-shapes. Completely polished and refined, the sculpture appears artificial and man-made. Yet, Farrow\u2019s goal is just that. She transforms a motionless and static rock into a tactile and rhythmic piece, which in turn, elicits the viewers to react and ponder on the meaning behind the work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Mary Ellen Farrow, why knot,\u00a0Indiana limestone. Photo: Katerina Bong<\/p>\n

Mary Cartmel sculpts two tangoing birds from a green Brazilian soapstone. Unlike Farrow\u2019s abstracted works, \u201cTango\u201d depicts the natural wildlife. Two birds adjoin the tip of their wings to tango. Their heads lean backward to create an elongated and dramatic gestures. The image of birds tangoing is an artifice \u2013 it is a human invention and imagination. This man-made transformation captures the sculptor\u2019s intention. She wanted to capture a moment in which a stone isn\u2019t or cannot be. Birds are light and always moving contrary to a static and inanimate rock. She wanted to depict such a profound dichotomy in her works. In order to create her works, she does not create preliminary sketches, rather bases the design on her spontaneity and intuition. Due to the soft nature of the soapstone, she can work with hand tools in close proximity with the rock. By pushing the limits of stone, the final product is light and playful.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Mary Cartmel, Tango, green Brazilian soapstone. Photo: Katerina Bong<\/p>\n

This sneak peek at these two sculptures from the exhibition offers an insight to the idea of transformation. They use insignificant and static stones to give them new meaning. Like Farrow and Cartmel, the other sculptors are not mere artists, they are inventors.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Andy Berg with Aqua, cast stone, mixed-media. Courtesy of Canadian Sculpture Centre<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Fred Hummel and his work: With the Flow, installation, marble, steel, found stones.\u00a0Courtesy of Canadian Sculpture Centre<\/p>\n

Katerina Bong<\/p>\n

*Exhibition information: October 13 – November 4, 2016,\u00a0Canadian Sculpture Centre, 500 Church Street. Gallery hours: Tue \u2013 Fri: 12 \u2013 6, Sat: 11 \u2013 4 p.m.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Katerina Bong<\/strong><\/p>\n

The sculptors in this exhibition are not mere artists, they are inventors who use insignificant and static stones to give them new meaning. <\/p>\n

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