March 27 – April 26, 2008
Opening reception:
Thursday, March 27th
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
ClampArt is proud to present “New Works on Paper,” an exhibition of abstract photographs by Romanian-born artist, Ion Zupcu. This is the photographer’s second show at the gallery.
Zupcu employs the simplest of means. Manipulating black sheets of paper, he creates small sculptural objects that he shoots in straightforward studio light. However, the results as far from obvious. As Jan Staller writes in the accompanying catalogue: “With disarming economy, Zupcu employs the sparest of materials and techniques to break down the expected three-dimensional illusion of photographic space.” He continues, “Zupcu’s work calls to mind the early 20th century abstract photographs of Man Ray and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. While their photographs involved graphic arrangements, Zupcu pushes his investigations into spatial illusion.”
Many of the artist’s newest pieces take on a whimsical tone with titles that clue the viewer in to some of his inspirations. One work echoes an Andy Warhol flower painting by simply arranging a few curls of paper. Another nods to Frank Stella’s geometric abstractions with the simple placement of a series of folded paper sheets.
The exhibition is accompanied by the release of a limited-edition catalogue with an essay by Jan Staller (Softcover, 52 pages, $20).