chashama presents:

“Plastic Flowers” by Daina Shobrys chashama 461 Gallery 461 West 126th Street (east of Amsterdam Avenue) January 19 – February 27, 2011 Hours: Thursday – Sunday, 1:00 – 6:00 pm or by appointment Opening Reception: Wednesday, January 19, 7:00 – 9:00 pm with a “Pantry” performance at 8:00 pm Closing Party: Thursday, February 24, 8:00 pm

“Plastic Flowers” is an installation of 25 sculptures. Flowers are grown for their beauty. But, showy sepals aside, their real business is perpetuating themselves. All of the action is in the center and like many reproductive situations, has its weird and creepy aspects. Enlarging the flowers to a giant size – 4’to 6’ across – makes it possible to explore their strangeness in detail. Each flower is a portrait of an individual blossom. Its image was preserved via a photograph. The flowers are also funny, hence the use of all the plastic – banner fabric, tablecloths, garbage bags, beads, lanyard lacing, cable ties, flower pot saucers, garden cart wheels and bathroom cups. I am using a material that is cheap, durable and ubiquitous to portray a subject that is most ephemeral.

In the Project Space: “Pantry,” a multimedia project responding to “Plastic Flowers,” will be in process during the run of the show by Ana Lieberman and Steven Cassidy.

Daina Shobrys lives and works in New York City and Long Eddy, NY. “Plastic Flowers” were exhibited in the fall at Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI. She has done projects at PS 1 Museum, the New Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, IL.

Ana Lieberman and Steven Cassidy are seniors at Cooper Union.

Artist website: dainashobrys.com