Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery is pleased to present its second solo exhibition of works by Joy Curtis. The show will run from March 4 – April 10, with an opening reception for the artist on Friday, March 4 from 6-8pm.

Theatrics of architectural ruins and monumental artifacts, both elemental and manmade, are the focus of Joy Curtis’s new sculptures in hydrocal, fiberglass, and paper. A series of large-scale hanging and floor works are constructed mainly from molds made in situ from office building architectural molding, i.e. elevator banks and cornices. These pieces visually mimic natural formations such as stalactites and driftwood while maintaining their references to classical architectural forms and their banal modern-day imitations. While some works are tinted through the mixture of sumi-e ink with hydrocal, others grow salt crystals through a solution previously absorbed into the surface, giving them a mineral quality that adjusts to atmospheric changes.

In other works, Curtis has maintained a human physicality by pouring and folding hydrocal and paper constructions, creating volumes that resemble geodes or geodesic architecture. Some form freestanding structures while others lean elegantly against the wall. The monochromatic white of these works implies a simplicity of shape and allows a focus on material and form.

Joy Curtis received her MFA from Ohio University in 2002. She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.