Audio By Carbonatix
Contrary to the title of his current show at Wynwood’s Fredric Snitzer Gallery, artist Gavin Perry is far from icy. “Glacier” refers to the decayed, frozen objects which Perry encases in multiple layers of resin. But Perry himself is warm, welcoming, and refreshingly gregarious when it comes to speaking about his work.
Hailing from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia (and he’s a self-confessed Phillies, Eagles, and 76’ers fan), Perry talks to us about his resin works and affection towards old crooners.
The exhibit’s various pillars, canvases, and found objects are
mesmerizing, draped with eye-popping curtains of colored lines.
Initially, we were tempted to recall the vibrant creations of English painters Ian
Davenport and Bridget Riley. But upon closer review, discarded elements
of daily life are at the core of Perry’s constructions rather than
pristine canvases and factory-grade edifices. “It’s the loss of
control,” he explains, “that counters the manufactured.”
Perry seeks out the process of creation versus the appearance of the
finished work. Just as a glacier is both epic and tragic in its
lifespan, his works deflate notions of an artist’s immortality in the
folds of his or her work. “Each one of these works reflect a part of my
personality, and perhaps I get some sort of joy listening to these
crooners sing the blues,” Perry says, referring to works bearing song
titles such as Hendrix’s “Still Raining, Still Dreaming.” In this sense,
Perry abducts the simple joys of classic art and classic rock and
forces the work to bear the burdens of modernity.
“Glacier” runs until October 4 at the Fredric Snitzer Gallery (2247 NW
First Pl., Miami). Call 305-448-8976 or visit snitzer.com.
–Shana Mason
