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Faktura / Tektonika - Curated by Robert Spring - 展覽 - Sean Kelly Gallery

The exhibition Faktura / Tektonika presents a selection of works that highlight two foundational components of early 20th-century Constructivism: faktura, the material properties of an object, and tektonika, an object’s spatial presence. In the lineage of the Constructivist movement, the exhibition foregrounds artists who emphasize material and form as active forces in artistic production. Through a range of practices that include the use of industrial media, alternative photographic processes, and an exploration of the self-reflexive properties of a chosen material, the works on view investigate the ways in which surface, structure, and perception intersect. Bringing together artists from within and beyond the gallery’s program, Faktura / Tektonika draws connections between emerging and established artists across multiple generations in the enduring spirit of this revolutionary movement in the history of art. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, June 26, from 5:30-7:30pm.

Embodying Faktura / Tektonika is the work of pioneering Cuban artist Dolores “Loló” Soldevilla (1901–1971) whose geometric constructions emphasize modularity, spatial relationships, and a Constructivist approach to building form through her use of material and exploration of dimensionality. Works on paper by Marco A. Castillo (b. 1971) are a result of his observations of quotidian materials and bring geometric elements from the historical context of Modernist, Soviet, and Cuban design into the present moment. Similarly, circular forms from throughout art history are graphically employed in the paintings of Jose Dávila (b. 1975). Dávila’s stone and concrete sculptures echo architectural structure and stability, highlighting the Constructivist emphasis of industrial materials.

Also engaging with industrial materials are Ernesto Burgos (b. 1979), Harminder Judge (b. 1982), Sam Moyer (b. 1983), and Hugo McCloud (b. 1980). The works of Ernesto Burgos exist at the intersection of painting and sculpture with substrates composed of cardboard, fiberglass, and resin finished with oil and charcoal; these pieces assert themselves into space through their corporeal presence. Harminder Judge layers pigment into wet plaster, sanding, polishing, and oiling his panels to luminous, sensuous effect. Sam Moyer, in contrast, paints plaster-coated canvas to serve as the ground for pieces of salvaged stone embedded into her paintings, which, along with her freestanding sculptures, highlight texture, composition, and assemblage. Hugo McCloud’s “stamped” paintings reference industrial construction and material labor with repetitive patterns that have been impressed on malleable tar paper.

While photography is often associated with capturing reality, Faktura / Tektonika foregrounds artists who challenge this assumption by using alternative photographic processes to construct their images rather than simply capture them. James Casebere (b. 1953) builds intricate architectural models, which he then lights and photographs, to create images that reimagine both the context and content of the structures that influence them. Julian Charrière’s (b. 1987) heliographs of California oil fields are created with the raw materials of their depicted sites by incorporating naturally occurring tar into a light-sensitive emulsion on highly polished stainless-steel plates. Wu Chi-Tsung (b. 1981) engages with the Constructivist affinity for photomontage and collage in his Cyano-collage series, in which the artist layers torn pieces of exposed cyanotype paper on aluminum panels, blurring the lines between figuration, abstraction and representation. In a rarely exhibited early work by Anthony McCall (b. 1943), the artist carefully burnt documentation photographs of his groundbreaking performance Landscape for Fire, 1972, an act that collapses the dichotomy of ephemerality and permanence by utilizing the enduring effects of a temporal element.

A number of the artists exhibited articulate the intersection of faktura and tektonika by engaging with spatial presence through the material substance of their work. Among them are Brian Rochefort (b. 1985), whose sculptures aggregate ceramic and glass across multiple firings. Donna Huanca’s (b. 1980) stainless steel freestanding sculptures evoke pierced biomorphic forms, becoming an extension and reflection of the body and space. Likewise, the surfaces of Nir Hod’s (b. 1970) paintings, on which layers of chrome and oil paint are built up and worn away, transmogrify the relationship between viewer, space, and the art object itself. Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola’s (b. 1991) sewn durag “paintings” merge the literal and metaphorical fabric of cultural symbolism with formal construction.

Canvases by Janaina Tschäpe (b. 1973), Lindsay Adams (b. 1990), Nour Malas (b. 1995), and Ilana Savdie (b. 1986) emphasize the material qualities of paint. Tschäpe and Adams' bold use of color and gesture creates abstracted landscapes rooted in emotional experience that blur the lines between imagination and reality. Malas’ works feature oil and pastel emerging from the ground of the canvas with a powerful and pulsating palette, reflecting an ever-fluid and turbulent psychic presence. Savdie’s vibrant compositions suggest the language of collage with layers of stain-like washes of color, contrasting visible brushwork with smooth applications of paint, and incorporating highly textural beeswax to create dreamlike works with mutable figuration and meaning.

Together, the artists and works presented in Faktura / Tektonika underscore the dynamic relationship between materiality, form, and space, and challenge conventional perceptions of how art is made and experienced. Through their innovative use of materials, each artist contributes to a broader dialogue about how both physical and conceptual construction shapes our understanding of the world around us.

This exhibition has been curated by Robert Spring.

For media inquiries, please email Adair Lentini at Adair@skny.com

For all other inquiries, please email info@skny.com

Loló Soldevilla, Sin titulo, 1956

Loló Soldevilla

Sin titulo, 1956

signed and dated by the artist, recto with accompanying certificate of authenticity signed by Martha Flora Carranza Barba, La Habana, Cuba, March 10, 2020

mixed media on wood

artwork: 18 1/4 x 24 3/16 inches (46.4 x 61.5 cm)
framed: 24 3/8 x 30 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches (61.9 x 77.5 x 3.8 cm)

(LSol-77)

Marco A. Castillo, Primeira libreta de notas, page 10, 2018

Marco A. Castillo

Primeira libreta de notas, page 10, 2018

signed by artist, recto

mixed media on paper, in artist frame

paper: 9 13/16 x 7 13/16 inches (24.9 x 19.8 cm)
framed: 18 3/8 x 16 3/8 inches (56.7 x 41.6 cm)

(MAC-40866)

Marco A. Castillo, Segunda libreta de notas, page 5, 2018

Marco A. Castillo

Segunda libreta de notas, page 5, 2018

signed by artist, recto

mixed media on paper, in artist frame

paper: 11 x 8 3/16 inches (27.9 x 20.8 cm)
framed: 19 9/16 x 16 3/4 inches (49.7 x 42.5 cm)

(MAC-40871)

Marco A. Castillo, Segunda libreta de notas, page 4, 2018

Marco A. Castillo

Segunda libreta de notas, page 4, 2018

signed by artist, recto

mixed media on paper, in artist frame

paper: 11 x 8 3/16 inches (27.9 x 20.8 cm)
framed: 19 9/16 x 16 3/4 inches (49.7 x 42.5 cm)

(MAC-40870)

Loló Soldevilla, Sin título, ca. 1953

Loló Soldevilla

Sin título, ca. 1953

signed by the artist, verso with accompanying certificate of authenticity signed by Martha Flora Carranza Barba, La Habana, Cuba, 24 May 2022

mixed media composition with wooden dowels in high relief on masonite

panel: 27 1/2 x 36 3/4 inches (69.8 x 93.3 cm)
framed: 28 1/4 x 37 7/16 x 2 1/4 inches (71.8 x 95.1 x 5.7 cm)

(LSol-84)

Jose Dávila, The fact of constantly returning to the same point or situation, 2022

Jose Dávila

The fact of constantly returning to the same point or situation, 2022

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

silkscreen print and vinyl paint on loomstate linen

92 1/8 x 74 13/16 x 2 3/8 inches (234 x 190 x 6 cm)

(JDa-22.063)

James Casebere, Cabana, 2017

James Casebere

Cabana, 2017

signed by the artist on label, verso

framed archival pigment print mounted to dibond

paper: 66 3/4 x 46 5/8 inches (169.5 x 118.4 cm)
framed: 69 7/16 x 49 5/16 x 2 1/4 inches (176.4 x 125.3 x 5.7 cm)

edition of 5 with 2 APs (#1/5)

(JC-265.1)

Jose Dávila, Fundamental Concern, 2022

Jose Dávila

Fundamental Concern, 2022

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

concrete, rock, boulder, glass sphere and ratchet strap

90 9/16 x 20 7/8 x 17 3/4 inches (230 x 53 x 45 cm)

(JDa-22.015)

Anthony McCall, Landscape for Fire, 1973

Anthony McCall

Landscape for Fire, 1973

signed, dated and stamped by artist, verso

chromogenic prints with burn marks, mounted on paper

paper: 23 1/4 x 14 1/2 inches (59.1 x 36.8 cm)
framed: 25 1/16 x 16 1/2 inches (63.7 x 41.9 cm)

(AMc-WP.94)

Janaina Tschäpe, Pale Yellow Summer, 2021

Janaina Tschäpe

Pale Yellow Summer, 2021

signed and dated by the artist, verso

casein and oil stick on canvas

116 x 157 1/2 inches (294.6 x 400.1 cm)

(JTs-P.21.5263)

Nir Hod, The Life We Left Behind, 2023

Nir Hod

The Life We Left Behind, 2023

oil paint, chrome and patina on canvas

90 x 63 inches (228.6 x 160 cm)

(NH-12143)

Nour Malas, Lunatics, 2025

Nour Malas

Lunatics, 2025

titled, signed, and dated by artist, verso

oil and pastel on canvas

65 x 50 x 1 1/2 inches (165.1 x 127 x 3.8 cm)

(NoMa-001)

Ernesto Burgos, Flutter, 2025

Ernesto Burgos

Flutter, 2025

signed and dated by artist, verso

resin, fiberglass, wood, cardboard, charcoal, oil paint

46 x 32 x 4 inches (116.8 x 81.3 x 10.2 cm)

(BURG-25003)

Ernesto Burgos, Scaffold, 2025

Ernesto Burgos

Scaffold, 2025

signed and dated by artist, verso

resin, fiberglass, wood, cardboard, charcoal, oil paint

46 x 32 x 4 inches (116.8 x 81.3 x 10.2 cm)

(BURG-25001)

 

Ilana Savdie, There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-all, 2025

Ilana Savdie

There Was an Old Woman Called Nothing-at-all, 2025

signed and dated by artist, verso

oil, acrylic, and beeswax on canvas stretched on panel

16 x 12 inches (40.6 x 30.5 cm)

(IS-02)

Sam Moyer, Right Side, 2015/2018

Sam Moyer

Right Side, 2015/2018

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

marble and dyed canvas mounted to MDF

66 x 49 inches (167.6 x 124.5 cm)

(SM-P.18.13)

Sam Moyer, Bluestone Dependent 3, 2021

Sam Moyer

Bluestone Dependent 3, 2021

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

Belgian Bluestone and concrete with stone aggregate

70 1/4 x 48 x 30 inches (178.4 x 121.9 x 76.2 cm)

(SM-S.21.1465)

Donna Huanca, DEIMATIC BEHAVIOUR (GANG MEETING), 2023

Donna Huanca

DEIMATIC BEHAVIOUR (GANG MEETING), 2023

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

stainless steel in three parts

part one: 77 3/16 x 33 7/16 x 23 5/8 inches (196 x 85 x 60 cm)
part two: 79 1/8 x 30 11/16 x 19 11/16 inches (201 x 78 x 50 cm)
part three: 71 1/4 x 31 1/2 x 19 11/16 inches (181 x 80 x 50 cm)

(DHu-18649.ABC)

Hugo McCloud, Sudden changes, 2024

Hugo McCloud

Sudden changes, 2024

signed by artist on label, verso

aluminum foil, aluminum coating, and oil paint on tar paper

92 x 72 x 2 3/8 inches (233.7 x 182.9 x 6 cm)

(HM-483)

Harminder Judge, Untitled (branch aligned with her torso), 2024

Harminder Judge

Untitled (branch aligned with her torso), 2024

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

plaster, polymer, pigment, scrim and oil

80 x 79 x 1 3/4 in (203.2 x 200.7 x 4.4 cm)

(JUDG-24001)

Brian Rochefort, Switz, 2024

Brian Rochefort

Switz, 2024

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

ceramic, glaze, glass fragments

24 x 22 x 21 inches (61 x 55.9 x 53.3 cm)

(BRoc-10)

Brian Rochefort, Staring at the Moon, 2024

Brian Rochefort

Staring at the Moon, 2024

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

ceramic, glaze, glass fragments

24 x 22 x 21 inches (61 x 55.9 x 53.3 cm)

(BRoc-24)

Anthony Akinbola, African Mask, 2024

Anthony Akinbola

African Mask, 2024

signed and dated by artist, verso

durags on wood panel

48 x 48 x 3 inches (121.9 x 121.9 x 7.6 cm)

(AAk-49)

Wu Chi-Tsung, Cyano-Collage 230, 2024

Wu Chi-Tsung

Cyano-Collage 230, 2024

titled, signed and dated by the artist, verso

cyanotype photography, Xuan paper, acrylic gel, acrylic, mounted on aluminum panel in two parts

each panel: 70 7/8 x 94 1/2 inches (180 x 240 cm)
approx. overall: 141 3/4 x 94 1/2 inches (360 x 240 cm)

(WCT-101.AB)

Jose Dávila, Orden Discontinuo V, 2018

Jose Dávila

Orden Discontinuo V, 2018

signed by artist on label, verso with accompanying signed certificate of authenticity

silkscreen print on cardboard

framed: 20 15/16 x 17 13/16 x 1 3/4 inches (53.2 x 45.2 x 4.5 cm)

(JDa-18.137)

Julian Charrière, Buried Sunshines Burn | 467.CHQ, 2023

Julian Charrière

Buried Sunshines Burn | 467.CHQ, 2023

the work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity

heliograph on high-polished stainless steel plate, stainless steel frame, museum glass (ArtGlass 70)

image: 15 3/8 x 11 7/16 inches (39 x 29 cm)
framed: 16 1/4 x 12 1/4 x 1 9/16 inches (41.2 x 31.2 x 4 cm)

unique

(JCh-454)