For her first solo exhibition in the United States, curated by Gaelle Porte, State of Matter, the Cuban artist Claudia Paneca poetically meditates on the nature of matter. The sculptor invites viewers to reflect upon the complexities of such a broad theme through organic installations combining clay, porcelain, wood, drawings, text, and photographs. Like a scientist presenting research on cosmogony, Paneca creates an immersive and delicate personal vocabulary that explores the duality between physicality and spirituality.
Claudia Paneca is a Cuban-born, Brooklyn-based, visual artist. She graduated with a degree in sculpture and drawing from the San Alejandro School of Fine Arts in Havana. Paneca then pursued her studies by taking classes in sculpture, ceramic and printmaking at School of Visual Arts in New York City. She is currently an Artist-in-Residence at The Invisible Dog, a multidisciplinary arts center located in Brooklyn, New York. Paneca has participated in several collective shows in both Havana and New York. Most recently, as part of the Armory Arts Week, she showed in the “Hive” exhibition at the The Invisible Dog art center in Brooklyn, NY in March 2014. She was also an Artist-in-Residence at Wassaic Artists Residency program in Wassaic, NY over winter 2013. Paneca explores several mediums, including: sculpture, drawing, ceramic, installation, photography and performance. In her own words: “I create my artwork as a practitioner of what I call ‘The Essence Ritual’: a rite that engages the essence of being in relationship with the self and its environment. This ritualistic approach is my way to transform common notions of reality, perception and spirituality in a deeply subversive way of thinking, expressed through a personal vocabulary of images and symbols. I create imaginary characters and substances, working with physical materials and poetic text on a metaphorical level.”
Website: claudiapaneca.com
On View
September 13–October 18
Location
Main Space
51 Bergen St
Opening Reception
Saturday, September 13
6–10pm
Gallery Hours
Thursday–Saturday, 1–7pm
Sunday, 1–5pm