Pittsburgh, January 8, 2024 – A captivating collection of contemporary wood art is currently on display at Contemporary Craft in Lawrenceville, offering a fresh perspective on a traditional medium. The exhibition, titled “Transformation 12,” features the work of 19 artists, some hailing from overseas, and will remain open to the public through January 17.
A Biennial Celebration of Woodworking Innovation
“Transformation 12” is the latest iteration of Contemporary Craft’s long-running biennial, showcasing a diverse range of techniques and artistic visions.
- The juried show features 19 artists working with wood in innovative ways.
- Works range from playful sculptures to thought-provoking installations.
- Several artists incorporate unconventional materials alongside wood.
- Visitors can view a video demonstrating the intricate process behind one artist’s work.
- The exhibition is open through January 17 at Contemporary Craft’s main gallery.
Stepping into the gallery, visitors are immediately greeted by Michael Ferris’ imposing 4-foot-tall bust, “Rosemarie with Stretchy.” Crafted from reclaimed wood in muted tones, the sculpture exudes personality, complete with a wooden cat adorning Rosemarie’s wooden sweater. The feline motif continues with Rex Kalehoff’s suspended “Lion Rex,” a carved-wood mask boasting a dazzling gold-leaf interior, designed to reflect light onto the viewer.
The exhibition playfully contrasts pieces, such as Adam John Manley’s “Sum of Its Parts: 1978 Wagner J16 Rocker.” This work deconstructs a rocking chair, presenting its components—each encased in padded wood—alongside a photograph of the fully assembled chair. Nearby, James Maurelle’s “Pou Sen Suzanne” offers a more foreboding presence: a throne with a cracked, clouded mirrored backrest framed by an antique window. The work’s materials—wood, adhesive, blood, and soil—hint at a somber narrative.
Other pairings highlight contrasting styles. Steven KP’s elegant “Wake” – four hand-carved American walnut stumps of varying heights connected by a restraint-like “necklace” – is juxtaposed with Ellie Richards’ cheerful “Painted Vessels,” a collection of six vividly colored vases filled with dried flowers. Sylvie Richardson’s massive triceratops head, “Salome,” looms across the gallery, a striking companion to Kalehoff’s “Lion Rex.”
Edgar Orlaineta’s “The Man-Made Object” is a playful, large-scale assemblage, standing 7 feet tall and resembling a giant toybox filled with shapes, figures, and even woodworking handbooks. Per Brandstedt’s “Monolit 5,” a voluptuous sculpture in deep green-stained white oak, evokes the work of Constantin Brancusi, while Jack Maruch’s upright “Butternut Slab” offers a more minimalist counterpoint.
Contemporary Craft champions artists who blend traditional materials—including metal, glass, ceramics, fiber, and found objects—with experimental techniques. Christian Burchard’s “Serpentine #17” is a particularly striking example: a 16-foot length of Pacific madrone woven into an Escher-esque knot, a technique the artist jokingly calls “a good idea, taken a bit too far.”
Visitors can also witness the process behind Richmond, Va.-based Vivian Chiu’s delicate “Revolving Vase (9 Peaches).” Chiu, the recipient of the Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Grand Prize, has a video on display demonstrating her painstaking craft, transforming inexpensive pine into a refined work of art.
Finally, Pittsburgh-based Seth Clark’s “The Escapist” adds a touch of whimsy. This life-sized wooden turret, complete with human legs, hangs suspended from the ceiling, accented with brass hardware, resembling a cartoonish space capsule.
