Carole's Picks: Linda Cole

by Kelsey Zalimeni

It is time yet again for a new edition in the Carole's Picks series. This month features established artist and Michigan native Linda Cole. Cole has spent time in Ann Arbor, New York, and London experimenting with textiles and design.  Over the years she developed a distinctive style which brought material and space into play with one another.  Her works are ethereal and imaginative, with a sound balance struck through structure and order.

'Rain' (2011)

Cole works in large scale multimedia, often displayed as public installations.  Audiences are asked to engage with the pieces spatially, as they occupy a large portion of the display location.  One also considers the relation of parts to a whole in this encounter, admiring the small components of a work like 'Rain' and their role in the overall composition. 

'Elevated Air' (2008)

Cole continues to create these marvelous installations, exhibiting in cities all over the country and abroad.  For more information on this artist, visit her website HERE.

Send any comments or questions to info@carolefeuerman.com or post to the comment section below!

Breakthrough

by Kelsey Zalimeni

In today's manic, rushing society, humans have grown desensitized to stimuli, caring only to speed through their busy day and make it home at the end. Carole Feuerman's 'Nude Coming Through 14th Street'  asks how long it will take for New Yorkers to notice a nude woman coming through the wall of 14th Street's subway station at rush hour. This piece is an attempt to slow people down- to not only see, but to really look. 

Nude Coming Through 14th Street, 2010

Oil on Resin, Photograph on Vinyl, 84 x 96 x 6 inches, Collection of the artist

Defying the laws of physics and social convention, this figure makes new the concept of individuality in total.  The woman is neither concerned with her nudity nor the gawking of passersby, literally planting herself in a private space as her front leads into the public.  An allusion to the fabled 'glass ceiling' can also be interpreted, as Carole uses the piece to illustrate her progressive mentality as a contemporary female artist. 

Please send us your comments to info@carolefeuerman.com or post in the comment bar below!

Capri

by Kelsey Zalimeni

Basking in the glimmering presence of Carole Feuerman's 'Capri' invites viewers to fully appreciate the skill and care of its execution.  While the dazzling Swarovski swim cap commands initial attention, the eye trickles slowly down the rest of the figure to delight in its detail and texture.  

Capri, 2013, Resin with Swarovski Crystal Cap, 30 x 20 x 11 inches

A rather content countenance gives way to a fitting leisurely pose, one hand casually hooked to the edge of her suit. The swimmer dons a brilliant cobalt one-piece with incredibly convincing texture and weight.  'Capri' symbolizes glamour, grace, leisure, and luxury.  She is both decadent and delicate, lavish yet natural- achieved through the juxtaposition of her relaxed, casual pose and the rich, sparkly materials she wears. 

This featured piece is currently on display at Art Southampton from Thursday, July 24 to Monday, July 28.  If you are attending the event, be sure to stop by booth AS67 to see 'Capri' in person! 

Poseidon

by Kelsey Zalimeni

Carole Feuerman is now exhibiting her newest bronze sculpture, 'Poseidon', at Jim Kempner Fine Art in Chelsea, NYC.  The piece features a male's head with organic shapes of bronze water drops sliding off the surface. This unique look is achieved through a technique that Feuerman herself developed, called 'Painting with Fire.' The artist first conceived of the idea while traveling by plane in 1998, feeling moved to express the gorgeous natural patterns that she witnessed from her aerial vantage point. 

'Poseidon', 2014- sand-cast bronze

Despite its detachment from the rest of the body, 'Poseidon' conveys a surge of momentum, as the viewer anticipates full emergence from below the surface. The scale of the piece in combination with the pedestal height contributes to its potency.  

'Poseidon' 2014- sand-cast bronze

Be sure to watch this short video of Carole signing the piece at Jim Kempner Fine Art in NYC:

Readers, be sure to share thoughts and questions about 'Poseidon' in the comment bar below!

Tomor and Matteo

by Kelsey Zalimeni

An encounter with 'Tomor and Matteo' epitomizes the term phenomenological experience. The digital sculpture installation requires the viewer to be active and aware of their own body in the space. Feuerman's choice to install the piece on the floor hearkens to a similar mechanism made famous by minimalist sculptor Carl Andre, forcing the audience to orient themselves about the piece as it occupies the ground they walk on.

'Tomor and Matteo in the Pool', 2010

Oil on Resin, Video Projection, Ceramic Tile, 120 x 96 inches

This piece was part of Carole's 2010 El Paso Museum retrospective exhibition, aptly titled 'Earth Water Air Fire.'  The installation was certainly a highlight of the show, inhabiting its own viewing room complete with a 40-foot high digital projector suspended from the ceiling. The following video features a tour of the El Paso exhibition:

The depicted scene comes from a common, everyday experience, yet there is something ritualistic about the interaction.  Perhaps the very nature of sharing (the pool, the beach ball, a glance) causes the piece to shine as sacred.  This video below offers a glimpse of the installation in depth.

What do you think of Matteo and Tomor? Share thoughts, comments, and questions for Carole below!

Feuerman's Book 'Swimmers' Now Available For Pre-Order

by Kelsey Zalimeni

At long last, Carole Feuerman's book Swimmers is set to finally hit the shelves.  John Yau of the Artist Book Foundation contributes an insightful, thorough investigation of Feuerman's works in an exquisite essay. Below is a small excerpt:

Feuerman’s women are the most recent descendants of Botticelli’s painting, The Birth of Venus.  In counterpoint to Venus’s modesty, these women, with the exception of the one titled Sunburn, savor their own bodies. At home in their skin, their erotic joy is both palpable and private. However much viewers may wish to peer or pry – to learn what they are thinking – the world they inhabit excludes us.

Swimmers, by Carole Feuerman

The book features full-page color images of Feuerman's sculptures in gorgeous detail.  Swimmers is now available for pre-order on Amazon- issues are going fast, so be sure to secure yours today!

The Swan

by Kelsey Zalimeni

Feuerman is the only figurative artist to hyper-realistically paint bronze for use in outdoor public art and install these sculptures in the water.  She knows full well the ability of art to impact and enrich lives. Her commissioned works such as the Soledad and Robert Hurst Commission reflect her artistic integrity and willingness to share her gift with others outside of gallery and museum walls.  A private and special sculpture, the commission features Hurst's children on a large stainless steel swan.  This pair exude feelings of youthful joy and familial bonding.  

'The Swan' 2014- oil on bronze, stainless steel

Even if the audience doesn't know the Hurst family, the same messages of childhood innocence and blissful simplicity still come across.  The piece is thus a beautiful symbol of familial values for all viewers to enjoy.

Since the piece has been installed, Hurst's doorbell hasn't stopped ringing by worried neighbors sighting his children sitting alone on his lake.

Beacon of Bliss

by Kelsey Zalimeni

Between her cheerful yellow raincoat and content countenance, 'New York City Slicker' could be called a beacon of bliss.  This painted bronze serves a public purpose in both its presence and message, beautifying its installation site while inspiring goodwill and happiness amongst viewers.  

New York City Slicker, 2013

Painted Bronze, 63 x 35 x 28 inches, Mana Contemporary Art Center

The sheer mass of the piece commands attention, standing five feet and three inches from the equally tall concrete podium. Although it towers above any passersby, the figure does not intimidate or impose but rather invites further inspection through its pleasant palette and beautiful details.  'New York City Slicker' was first debuted at Mana Contemporary Art Center in 2013, where it quickly became a crowd favorite. Wherever the piece goes next, happiness is sure to follow.