“Metal-morphosis” Opening Reception

A group exhibition on the industrial echoes of found METAL FEATURING JEREMY MAYER, JoeJoe Martin, and Nemo Gould. The works in Metal-morphosis redefine found metal from junkyard scrap into fantastical sculptures and digital curiosities. The artists push their preferred found components beyond original use and are able to induce surrealist humor and introspection, explore biomorphic forms, and even imitate bird calls.  Jeremy Mayer’s practice is heavily inspired by the etchings of biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel, particularly his work depicting diatoms, starfish, sea urchins, and other circular or spherical lifeforms. He juxtaposes that interest with the aesthetics of componentry from the world's largest machine, the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator at CERN in Switzerland. Combining the two, he hones in on mandala-like reliefs, revealing a common visual language between small creatures and large machines. Nemo Gould’s sculptures are based on two distinct approaches to found-object kinetic art. They seek escapism through surreal characters while driving a narrative of coming to terms with the increasing violence and absurdity of contemporary life. JoeJoe Martin plays with sounds and found footage in his various series. One piece titled “Two Mockingbirds” employs the sounds of two mockingbirds speaking to one another, yet these “birds” are reclaimed cathode ray tubes, displaying analog visualization of their birdsong as it plays through embedded speakers. The artwork is light sensitive, and the birds will go to sleep if covered by a blanket. Nestled amongst the “bird”-focused work, JoeJoe will present a new series titled “Borrowed Memories” showcasing found or purchased home movies. This new production explores the transactionality of our personal and precious memories. Peering into the lens of secondhand video and film cameras, the viewer may watch snippets from another person’s life and be led to wonder how a collection of VHS-C tapes or hundreds of Super 8MM reels end up on eBay, in Urban Ore, or may be simply discarded on the street. Each of the three cameras displays hours of video from different families.