~’BIG RINGER’ . . OPENING PIX !! – PART II

‘BIG RINGER’ . . . ORGANIZED & CURATED BY ANDREW GUENTHER / aka EAT THE LEAF
OVER 100 ARTISTS . . . RE-IMAGINE / THE ENGAGEMENT RING
UP THRU . . . JUNE 8, 2019
ANDREW EDLIN GALLERY

MORE:‘BIG RINGER’ – ANDREW EDLIN GALLERY

PIX FROM THE OPENING – PART II / SAT APRIL 25, 2019


NICHOLAS STEINDORF / right: BRIAN WILLMONT
woof . .
I was so glad to find out NICHOLAS STEINDORF’S 3 part, sultry offering . . was all about being (the only) ‘multiple edition’, in the show – and, not about wanting maybe . .. 3 wives ?!!

NICHOLAS STEINDORF, ‘ONION RING RING’, 2019.
Burger King onion ring, resin / 1 x 1 in.

BRIAN WILLMONT, ‘Monument to Eternity’, 2019.
Acrylic paint, 3.5 x 3.5 in.


from the show’s curator . . ANDREW GUENTHER,
who paints under @andrewguenther_art & makes jewelry under @eattheleaf.
the ‘south’ side . . of eternity & desire.
ANDREW GUENTHER, ‘Fly’, 2019. Resin, dead fly. 1 x 1 in.


SASHA FISHMAN, ‘Sticky & Toothless’, 2019.
Lost teeth, resin, gold leaf, polymers, found pearl, hot glue, urrethane, vinyl, brass. 3 x 3 x 3 in.


ALEXANDER DESCHAMPS, ‘(C)ASH 4 GOLD’, 2019.
Brass and acrylic / 0.75 x 1 x 1.25 in.


JONATHAN TRACY, ‘Desiccated Cartouche’, 2019.
Various putty, ABS plastic, Lapis lazuli, and gold foil.
4.5 x 2 x 1.75 in.


ALICIA GIBSON, ‘Dilirium of Negation’, 2019.
Synthetic hair, brass ring, wire, and costume jewelry.
3 in. in diameter.

ALICIA GIBSON’s “memento mori” . . surprised me the most, just as to: scale.
in the Instagram photos, it had seemed sized to fit a finger, but it was larger.
it was kind of even: monumental on the ring scale !! and, way deep in meanings, too . .
mortality, death, vanity of earthly life & the “transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits” / google
a reflection on: eternity in a deep, strong ancestral way. a strong bond, maybe even unto death.


TAMARA SANTIBANEZ, ‘Ring’, 2019.
Polymer clay, acrylic paint / 5x 3.5 in.

picture that / upright, on your engagement finger.
it’s also so easy – to break a marriage / slightly chip a sharp point, and each time – more of the bond
. . chips away.


ANTONE KONST, ‘Strong Ring’, 2019.
Airplane wire (steel), acrylic. / 1 x 1 in.
all love should only be so strong, and stay, so . . tender.


THOM COWAN, ‘Partners’, 2019.
Clay, coral, acrylic, and wire / 7.5 x 7 in.
THOM COWAN’S ‘ring’ . . covered all the bases, ‘partners’ going through cycles,
and ups-and- downs . . is pretty much it.
it helps to have some – playfulness.


his piece reminded me of ANTONE KONST’S . . recent, over-size ‘FREE PEDDLER’ sculpture at Socrates Sculpture Park / Annual 2018. in the loopy-ness of form, and the sense of inner weariness, even though the story seems playful, the craziness of biology, reproduction, and the animal world in general.


then, there’s that . . ‘ball & chain’.
The ‘Free Peddler’ . . also had that sense of being ‘chained to a situation’, a life of endless trekking / hawking trinkets and wares, even if the exchange was free.
the word: FABLE comes to mind.


THOM COWAN . .
at the opening with his piece, to the top / left side.


that other piece above, is by . . DOUG YOUNG, ‘Chromium Alum Ring’, 2019.
Chromium alum, paper, paint, sterling silver / 5 x 5 x 5 in.

it is probably . . the biggest ‘ rock’ in the room, rock n roll.
(as Walter Robinson . . would say.)


the other ring hinted at.
BRANDEN KOCH, ‘today’s growth, tomorrow’s rings’, 2019.
gouache, ink, and acrylic polymer on cut pine.
4.5 x 2.25 x 1.25

there was a ring, and even on occasion, a non-ring (!!) for every mind-set.
though, this one looks like it should be embedded into our heads.
please don’t burst my hopes, with your reality.
reach for the rainbow.

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH