Rye-based sculptor Bob Clyatt, www.clyattsculpture.com, exhibited his work at the Contemporary Art Fair NYC at the Javits Center last weekend. He was one of some 200 artists and artisans who participated in the art fair and the concurrent event, American Craft Show NYC.
In two of the accompanying photographs you’ll see Clyatt in his space. How did he achieve the arresting red finish on the sculpture of his summer assistant? Clyatt explained, “The encaustic technique for the finish was invented by ancient Egyptians and Greeks. It’s made with pigment added to resin and bees wax.”
In the second image you see Clyatt with noborigama and raku-fired stacked heads behind him. Noborigama is a special wood fired Japanese kiln. The third image features “Seated Monk #2,” raku-fired stoneware.
In addition, Clyatt addressed the place of his art. He said: “We are at the beginning of an exciting new era in figurative sculpture. In particular I think people have wrung the last drops of creative possibility from Duchamp’s legacy and are now looking for more meaning in art. The figure is ripe for exploration as a bridge between ancient and contemporary, a source of context in a de-contextualized world.
“I recently curated ‘Beyond Rodin’ for the Rye Arts Center, a survey of 20 figurative sculptors doing important work in this area, which received a full-page review in The New York Times.
“In my own work I am drawn to use clay. In addition to tapping into ceramic traditions, I love working with these ancient materials, and I rely on their ability to morph through natural processes in the kiln. Thus each piece is made in partnership with nature, giving the pieces life and presence beyond the artist’s inherent limitations, beyond our time. It’s a good kind of ‘old-fashioned’ – bringing meaning, context and spirit back to art, while still speaking unflinchingly to contemporary concerns.”
Upcoming Exhibitions of Bob Clyatt’s Work:
Ongoing display at Rye Art Gallery & Framing, 1050 Boston Post Road
SOFA Chicago, Maria Elena Kravetz Gallery, Navy Pier; Nov 1-4
“Anniversary Show”, Lambert Fine Arts, 57 Stanton Street @ Eldridge, NYC. Nov 8- 26
“A Show of Heads,”curated by SlowArt, Limner Gallery, 123 Warren Street, Hudson, NY, Oct 27-Nov 25
To learn about next year’s Contemporary Art Fair NYC at the Javits Center, October 25, 26 and 27, please visit http://www.americanartmarketingnyc.com/
