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Art Review: Sculpture Born of Scissors and Paper

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  • Art Review: Sculpture Born of Scissors and Paper

    New York Times
    May 2 2009


    Art Review
    Sculpture Born of Scissors and Paper


    It is hard to define sculpture these days. Artists continue to make
    three-dimensional objects, but the range and variety of materials they
    employ defy classification. This is enchantingly evident in a show by
    the Armenian artist Karen Sargsyan at the Hudson Valley Center for
    Contemporary Art.

    Mr. Sargsyan, 36, makes figurative sculptures from cut paper. The
    works in the current show were created during his stay in Peekskill
    last fall as the center's artist in residence. Depending on how you
    look at it, the exhibition consists of either hundreds of individual
    cut paper sculptures arranged across the mezzanine gallery or a single
    installation made up of many parts.

    Immediately eye-catching is a figure trailed by a black dog on the
    landing outside the show's entrance. The figure is leaning over the
    railing, looking down at the galleries below. Both dog and figure are
    intricately constructed from layers of colored paper and are
    remarkable for their playfulness and dynamism; from certain angles, it
    looks as if the dog is getting ready to bite the man's bottom.

    Dominating the exhibition is the sculpture of an outsize figure sunken
    into a collapsed throne with a scepter across his right leg. He is a
    king, or at least has the trappings of royalty. To his left is a
    kneeling knight, while surrounding him is a group of jesters who seem
    to be performing for his entertainment. It is a theatrical scene
    reminiscent of baroque paintings of life in princely courts.

    Especially interesting about this grouping of figures is the way in
    which each of them is engaged in some sort of dramatic gesture, highly
    suggestive of movement, yet frozen in space and time. I like this
    tension, for it invites deeper contemplation of the symbolism of the
    scene. Why is the king sacked out on the floor? Has he been deposed
    and is living in exile? Are these additional figures that surround him
    all that remain of his once loyal and devoted subjects?

    Viewers looking for guidance on how to interpret this installation
    will find little relief in the oblique title, `Abroad Understanding.'
    Nor is there an exhibition catalog or brochure to narrow things down a
    little. Still, clues can be found in the work itself. The clothes on
    the figures appear frayed, even chewed up or eaten away, suggesting
    that the king has been out of power for some time. He and his
    entourage are living in exile.

    You might also notice that the expressions on the faces of several of
    the figures are strained, suggesting feelings of suffering and
    pain. That Mr. Sargsyan can convey pathos in paper is indicative of
    his tremendous skill with scissors, and no doubt why in 2007 he won
    the Netherlands's prestigious Thieme Art Award, given annually to a
    promising young artist, and is being heralded as a rising art world
    star.

    Mr. Sargsyan, who lives in Amsterdam, originally worked in clay, later
    moving to paper. It was a smart decision, for while there are numerous
    contemporary artists working with ceramics, no contemporary
    international artist that I can think of makes work on this scale
    using slivers of cut paper. It helps him stand out from the crowd ' in
    the same way that colorful Styrofoam sculptures distinguish Folkert de
    Jong, another well-known young Dutch artist.

    But that is where the comparison ends, for the two artists have
    different sources of inspiration. Whereas Mr. de Jong is interested in
    political issues and history, Mr. Sargsyan is interested in
    theatricality and process.

    Littering the floor around Mr. Sargsyan's figures are bits and pieces
    of scrap paper, several preparatory sculptures of human faces and
    limbs, along with paper renditions of scissors and a tape
    dispenser. By not cleaning up the gallery the artist invites us to see
    the space as a studio, as a laboratory for ideas, and the artwork as
    an active, changing work in progress.

    The artist's choice of material raises obvious questions about the
    durability of his installations, since paper tends to discolor, sag
    and even degrade over time, especially when exposed to light and
    moisture. But Mr. Sargsyan uses a special kind of heavy-duty archival
    paper, much like that used as a support for drawings and paintings. He
    believes that with good care, these sculptures can last forever.

    `Karen Sargsyan: Abroad Understanding' Hudson Valley Center for
    Contemporary Art, 1701 Main Street, Peekskill, through May
    24. Information: (914) 788-0100 or hvcca.org.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/nyre gion/westchester/03artwe.html
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