SALLY HELLER
U P - R O O T E D opening reception august 4th 6 – 9 pm
UP - ROOTED I make trees out of low end consumer goods. Trees are the perfect vehicle for my expansive collection of refuse as their trunks and branches extend upwards, outwards, and defy gravity at times. In the process of transforming the materials into trees, I concentrate on creating beautiful and humorous equations that form a new plastic reality. These trees are not a comment on ecology but a mirror of our consumer culture, one rife with disposable human detritus. These cheap odds and ends have left a silent imprint on our consciousness. In my work, the organic beauty of a tree is replaced by plastic refuse that has its own aesthetic qualities. They are tenuous, engaging and elegantly crafted. The tension in my work derives from the conflict between mass produced, utilitarian materials and the highly individualized finished pieces. I subvert the pragmatic materials by applying timeless handiwork to them. The deceptive frailty of the work and the permanence of the materials mirror our culture’s delusional balance between consumerism and the environment. Included in the exhibition are a series of photographs capturing elements of a former installation, “Calamitrees”. The photographs transform the ephemeral into something permanent, thus creating new works, which exist on their own as individualized compositions. These abstract-like photographs challenge our visual perspective, forcing us to reassess our directionality, and our perceptions of vision and focus. The photos appear fleeting, like images in a pool of water, some elements clear and distinct, others literally swimming in optical puddles. One understands how each element, even in its minuteness, is fundamental to the overall piece. When isolated, these objects suddenly come into relief, emerging from the greater compositional web. Sally Heller
exhibition dates august 4th – september 29th 2007 opening reception saturday august 4th 6 – 9 pm Front Cover: UP - ROOTED (detail) mixed media installation, 2007
UP - ROOTED mixed media installation, 2007
CALAMITREES SERIES #1, 2007 50" x 40" c - print
CALAMITREES SERIES #7, 2007 60" x 48" c - print
CALAMITREES SERIES #5, 2007 50" x 40" c - print
CALAMITREES SERIES #3, 2007 50" x 40" c - print
518 julia street, new orleans, la 70130
UP - ROOTED (detail) mixed media installation ARTWORK © SALLY HELLER 2007 CATALOG © GALLERY BIENVENU
504.525.0518
www.gallerybienvenu.com