Thomas Sleet: Integration-Sacred Space by Bruno David Gallery

T H OM AS SL E E T Integration: Sacred space

bruno david gallery

THOMAS SLEET

Integration: Sacred Space September 14 - October 26, 2019 Bruno David Gallery 7513 Forsyth Boulevard Saint Louis, Missouri 63105, U.S.A. info@brunodavidgallery.com www.brunodavidgallery.com Owner/Director: Bruno L. David This catalogue was published in conjunction with the exhibition “Thomas Sleet: Integration: Sacred Space ” at Bruno David Gallery. Editor: Bruno L. David Catalogue Designer: Sara Ghazi Designer Assistant: Claudia R. David Printed in USA All works courtesy of Thomas Sleet and Bruno David Gallery Photographs by Bruno David Gallery Cover image: Integration 4D, 2018 (detail) Wood, acrylic paint, charring 17 x 19 x 8.5 inches (43.2 × 48.3 × 21.6 cm) First Edition Copyright © 2019 Bruno David Gallery All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of Bruno David Gallery

CONTENTS

THOMAS SLEET BY LISETTE DENNIS AFTERWORD BY BRUNO L. DAVID AND DEANNE C. SLEET CHECKLIST AND IMAGES OF THE EXHIBITION BIOGRAPHY

THOMAS SLEET BY LISETTE DENNIS

For Thomas Sleet, creation is born with the singular. He constructs either a geometric or organic-shaped form or unit to serve as visual and structural language in his artwork. This unit is unidentifiable, an abstraction; it contrasts with the broken, reclaimed items - plastic banana, toy elephant and cigarette lighter - assembled in the British artist Tony Cragg’s earlier work (New Figuration, 1985) or the functional components - bicycles, backpacks or wooden stools - figured in the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s later works (Bang, 2010-2013). However, like both men, Sleet imbues his unit with new meaning, functions and value and deploys it to build configurations with an original discourse. The natural environment is constantly present in Sleet’s thoughts and sculpture. As a child, he regularly enjoyed roaming the woods of a nearby St. Louis suburb, and because Sleet continues to cherish its abiotic and biotic constituents and their interrelationships, he sources them for materials, visual models and processes to integrate with aplomb into his work. Sleet has internalized nature thoroughly and can, and does, now call it up effortlessly.

The first iteration of the unit, the I-block, was made of concrete and conceived over a decade ago for the construction of a sculptural habitat. Sleet later pondered how its utilization could persist, and after lengthy deliberation, he concluded that a certain evolution and permutation would endow the unit with a broader and more spiritual embodiment. Additional incarnations of similar size could be added to the unit, which now, situated in Sleet’s sculpture and wall art, also represents the concept of the essentially separate, differing and insular human being, for the formation of a greater identity and level of purpose: an assembly in which a dynamic, monumental collective would subsist and progress. In this way, Sleet visually proposes an adoption of symbiosis, a close, long-term interaction between organisms of different species, with one or both of the symbionts dependent on each other for survival, to bring humans in closer relationship and compliance with nature, and thus each other, for a more progressive and harmonious existence. Sleet employs several procedures to inject, maintain and underline the presence of nature in his sculpture and wall art. Most frequently, he selects the products of trees - fallen branches, lumber, newspaper - as his material of choice. He cuts and assembles numerous and variously shaped units from new or reclaimed wood. To continue a visual reminder of this organic material, Sleet deftly permits the wood grain to penetrate a white or black topcoat, applies a matt color of varying values or singes the outer surface of an entire piece. When the unit of pulp paper and cement doesn’t specifically echo an organic shape, Sleet renders its surface craggy to inform how weather and time impact soil, stone and brick. All of this emerges from Sleet’s hands-on approach to natural materials, his interest in highlighting their wide usage and his need to convey their vitality and enduring relevance. He injects his artwork and the modern environment with nature, and in doing so, erases the distinction between the organic and the manmade to assert and emphasize the obvious or hidden ubiquity, benefit and simple beauty of the natural environment.

Lisette Dennis is a St. Louis-based writer and photographer. This text is one in a series of the gallery’s exhibitions written by fellow gallery artists, and friends.

AFTERWORD BY BRUNO L. DAVID AND DEANNE C. SLEET

Bruno David Gallery is pleased to present Integration: Sacred Space, an exhibition by Thomas Sleet. This is Sleet’s third exhibition with the gallery. Since his youth, Thomas Sleet was always fascinated with nature. He would tell stories of growing up in Kirkwood in the 60’s, playing in creeks and running around the neighborhood with his siblings. This fascination followed him well into his adult years, showing up in his sculptures, paintings, prints, and other media. True to concepts consistent in his past works, Integration: Scared Space continues with Sleet’s theme of intersecting the natural and the manufactured. His new wall mounted pieces highlight his carefully designed experiments with light, space, thoughtful arrangement and placement, and the theory of the individual intersecting with the collective. Thomas Sleet’s sculptures are not focused on any one specific meaning, but rather the construction of the works—the process of building, combining the materials harmoniously. A primary shape Sleet employs and refers to as an “I” beam, is something that has “the [most] amount of strength with the least amount of material”, and the finished work both as a concept and a structure. It is a spherical process. When asked if one should look for the individual in his pieces, specifically the “I” beam, Sleet explained the beam as a dual entity, an “individual object that also represents inanimate and animate things, be it people, structures, or materials.” Thomas Sleet attended Columbus College of Art and Design and Washington University in St. Louis - Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, where he received his B.F.A. He lives and works in St. Louis. Support for the creation of significant new works of art has been the core to the mission and program of the Bruno David Gallery since its founding in 2005. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Lisette Dennis for her thoughtful essay. I am deeply grateful to Sara Ghazi Asadollahi, who gave much time, talent, and expertise to the production of this catalogue. Invaluable gallery staff support for the exhibition was provided by Taylor Fulton, Sara Ghazi Asadollahi, Eliza Reinhardt, Lauren R. Mann, Natalie Snyder, and Zoe Duncan.

CHECKLIST & IMAGES OF THE EXHIBITION

Sky Temple 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint, Charring 12 x 12 x 6 inches (30.5 x 30.5 x 15.2 cm)

Sky Temple (detail)

Shamans House 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint, Mirror 26 x 24 3/4 x 2 3/4 inches (66 x 62.9 7 cm)

Shamans House (detail)

Emergance 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches (24.1 x 31.8 x 4.4 cm)

Emergance (detail)

Mountain Temple 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint Charring, Shoe polish 32 x 33 x 6 1/2 inches (81.28 x 83.82 x 16.51 cm)

Mountain Temple (detail)

Double Spine 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint Charring, Shoe polish 14 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (36.8 x 11.4 x 6.4 cm)

Double Spine (detail)

Kiva 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint, Mirror 5 1/2 x 5 x 2 inches (14 x 12.7 x 5.1 cm)

Black stack 2019 Wood, Shoe polish, Charring 17 x 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (43.2 x 6.4 x 8.9 cm)

Parallax View 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint, Mirror 10 x 12 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (25.4 x 31.8 x 6.4 cm)

Temple Arc 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint, Charring 13 x 12 x 9 inches (33 x 30.5 x 22.9 cm)

Congregation 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint Cement, Skid 24 x 29 x 7 inches (61 x 73.7 x 17.8 cm)

Congregtion (detail)

Moon Temple 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint, Charring 8 1/2 x 16 x 4 1/2 inches ( 21.6 x 40.6 x 11.4 cm)

Integration 4D 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint, Charring 17 x 19 x 8 1/2 inches (43.2 x 48.3 x 21.6 cm)

Integration 4D (detail)

ID Fragment 2019 MDF, Acrylic paint, Shoe polish 12 1/2 x 9 x 3 inches (31.8 x 22.9 x 7.6 cm)

Spine 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint, Charring 9 3/4 x 3 x 2 1/2 inches (24.8 x 7.6 x 6.4 cm)

Spine (detail)

Integration Migration 2018 Wood, Acrylic paint, Charring 17 x 16 1/2 x 8 inches (43.2 x 41.9 x 20.3 cm)

Integration Migration (detail)

House of Light 2019 Wood, Acrylic paint 8 x 6 1/2 x 2 1/4 inches (20.3 x 16.5 x 5.7 cm)

Integration of Culture 2019 Wood, Cement, Acrylic paint on aluminum 31 x 30 x 4 inches (78.7 x 76.2 x 10.2 cm)

Integration of Culture (detail)

Thomas Sleet. Integration: Sacred Space (installation view)

THOMAS SLEET Born in St. Louis, Missouri (1956) Lives and works in Saint Louis, Missouri

EDUCATION 1988 1974

B.F.A., Ceramics and Sculpture. Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri B.A., Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2019 2018 2014 2007 2003 2002 2001 2000 1997 1994

Bruno David Gallery, “Integration-Sacred Space”, St. Louis, Missouri. (catalogue) WINDOW ON FORSYTH, “Volcanoa”, St. Louis, Missouri Bruno David Gallery, “Modem: Topology “, St. Louis, Missouri. (catalogue) Bruno David Gallery, “Thomas Sleet: Traces”, St. Louis, Missouri. (catalogue) D-Zine Gallery, “Thomas Sleet”, University City, Missouri Mitchell Museum, “Thomas Sleet: Art, Architecture, Energy”, Mt. Vernon Illinois Harwell Museum of Art, “Thomas Sleet”, Poplar Bluff, Missouri D-Zine Gallery, “Thomas Sleet”, University City, Missouri Vaughn Gallery and Cultural Center, “PostUrbanAfricView”, St. Louis, Missouri Urban League, “Thomas Sleet”, St. Louis, Missouri Portfolio Gallery, “Spirit of the Root”, St. Louis, Missouri

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2019 2018 2017 2016 2014 2013 2012 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1992

OVERVIEW_2019, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO REenter, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO OVERVIEW_2018, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO OVERVIEW_2017, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO AND/OR, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO. (catalogue) OVERVIEW_2014, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO Artworks, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO BLUE-WHITE-RED, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO Overview_08, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO On Paper, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO Overview_06, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO Inaugural Exhibition, Bruno David Gallery, St. Louis, MO 20th Anniversary Show, Elliot Smith Contemporary Art, St. Louis, MO Everything you Wanted to Know About Art, Elliot Smith Contemporary Art, St. Louis, MO Group Exhibition, Gallery Urbis Orbis, St. Louis, MO Group Show, Emerson Electric, World Headquarters, St. Louis, MO Arousal Show, Loft District, St. Louis MO Inform Show, Lemp Brewery, St. Louis, MO Group Show, Margaret Harwell Museum of Art, Poplar Bluff, MO Visions ‘98, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO Voices Exhibit, The College School, Webster Groves, MO A.A.D.I.S. Spectrum ‘97, St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, MO Group Exhibition, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO Visions ‘97, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO Black and Jewish Artists Sharing Images, Maryville University, St. Louis, MO Visions ‘96, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO Landscapes - Lifting the Veil, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO Group Exhibition, Ralston Purina World Headquarters, St. Louis, MO Solo exhibit, Maryville University, St. Louis, MO Black Creativity ‘95, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL Visions ‘95, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO Group Exhibition, Ralston Purina World Headquarters, St. Louis, MO Visions ‘94, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO Visions ‘92, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, MO

1991 1989 1988 1981 1980 1979 1978 1975 1974

Untitled, Art St. Louis Gallery, St. Louis, MO Arrowmont School of Art, Gatlinburg, TN Lithos Gallery, St. Louis, MO Advertising Club of St. Louis Advertising Federation of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO Steinberg Gallery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO Timothy Burns Gallery, St. Louis, MO Steinberg Gallery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO Columbus Museum of Arts, Columbus, OH Terry Moore Gallery, St. Louis, MO Terry Moore Gallery, St. Louis, MO Steinberg Gallery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus OH Mark Twain Bank, St. Louis, MO

BIBLIOGRAPHY Lisette Dennis. Kerry Marks. Buzz Spector. David Lobbig. Chris Kahler. Robert T. Herrera. Cooper, Ivy. Bonetti, David. Crone, Tomas. Beall, Hugh. Miller, Rob. Beall, Hugh and Griffin, William. Bonetti, David.

“Thomas Sleet,” Catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publication, December 2019 “Thomas Sleet”, Interview, HEC-TV, September 2019 “AND/OR,” Catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publication, November 2017 “Modem Topology,” Catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publication, December 2014 “Systematic Deconstructions,” Catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publication, January 2008 “Inaugural Exhibition,” Bruno David Gallery Video, St. Louis, November 2005 “Bruno David Gallery: Inaugural Exhibition”, Riverfront Times, November 9, 2005 “Bruno David Gallery”, St. Louis Post Dispatch, November 9, 2005 “Bruno David Gallery”, 52nd City, October 2005 “The Bruno buzz”, West End Word, October 26, 2005 “Bruno David Gallery: Inaugural Exhibition”, Saintlouisart, October 25, 2005 “Bruno David Gallery: Inaugural Exhibition”, Illusion Junkie, October 25, 2005. “Bruno David Gallery: Inaugural Exhibition”, St. Louis Post Dispatch, October 20, 2005

RESIDENSIES AND AWARDS

2003 ST. LOUIS ART FAIR, Clayton MO Directing participants through a found sculpture workshop teaching them to utilize fond and fabricated steel objects to assemble small metal sculptures. 2002 MITCHELL MUSEUM AT CEDAR HURST, Mt. Vernon Ill Conducted a one-week seminar on developing and constructing three dimensional drawings in cement on wood panels. 2001 THE COLLEGE SCHOOL, Webster Groves, MO. Artist in Residence. Conducted a one-week seminar on developing and constructing three dimensional drawings in cement on wood panels. 1998 THE COLLEGE SCHOOL, Webster Groves, MO. Artist in Residence. Conducted a one-week seminar on developing and constructing three dimensional drawings in cement on wood panels. 1996 HOGAN STREET REGIONAL YOUTH CENTER, ST. LOUIS, MO Conducted screen printing and product design class. Instructed youth in the design and manufacture of a variety of products including bird houses, t-shirts, plaques, and photo murals. Items produced were sold at Hogan Street Youth Center and local craft festivals. 1997 GUARDIAN ANGEL SETTLEMENT, ST. LOUIS, MO Conducted eight-week class in screen printing and assemblage. 1996 PORTFOLIO GALLERY AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER, ST. LOUIS, MO Conducted a series of 4 three-week classes in Beginning and Intermediate Screen-printing for students from St. Louis Community College. 1993 CENTRAL, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL, ST. LOUIS, MO Conducted six-week class in calendar production. Students instructed in a step-by-step process of graphic production beginning with thumbnail design, layout, typesetting, and paste-up. The concluding activity involved a field experience at the printer for the final proofing. 1988 CRAFT ALLIANCE GALLER AN DEDUCATIONAL CENTER, ST. LOUIS, MO Conducted a series of six-week screen printing classes. Beginning through Advanced techniques.

PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS

2000 THE URBAN LEAGUE OF METRO ST. LOUIS Designed, engineered, and produced the 18 FT X 5 FT stainless steel monument sign sculpture bearing the client’s corporate ID. This unit involves laser cut graphics, curved stainless faces, and internal high output lighting. Also produced 60 aluminum and marble awards that are miniature reproductions of the main building sign. 1999 ANHUESER BUSCH, INC. ST. LOUIS, MO Produced 3-dimensional aluminum signage for Anhueser Busch Technical Training Center. Included in the sign package are one 5 FT X 7FT monument sign, 3 FT X 3 FT building signs and 11 parking signs. 1998 PHYLLIS WHEATLEY SOCIETY MONUMENT YWCA, Greater St. Louis Designed and built 8 FT monument that included 30-inch cold cast bronze relief portrait of Phyllis Wheatley, a walnut cabinet with black granite cap, and cut-out brass dimensional graphics. SCULPTURE COMMISSION / RESIDENTIAL Steel structure in the form of a fluid drawing 4 FT X 6 FT combined with inset colored cement panels. 1997 JEFFERSON NATIONAL EXPANSION MUSEUM/ARCH Produced 50 units, 3 FT X 8 FT banners including four designs of five colors each for the Arch Parking top level. Produced and installed four color vinyl graphics on each of 32 Arch tram doors. 1996 LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ST. LOUIS Produced 80 units, 2.5 FT X 8 FT six color, two design double pole banners. Installed on Airport Drive at East and Main terminals. ROBERT S. DUNCANSON EXHIBIT, “LIFTING THE VEIL,” STEINBERG GALLERY, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. LOUIS, MO Engineered and fabricated a variety of museum panels utilizing cut-out graphics, screen printing, and artifacts. 1995 INDY LIVE, CIRCLE CENTER, INDIANAPOLIS, IN Designed, fabricated, and installed two 12 FT diameter Plexiglas and aluminum signs for the Indy Live Nightclub. Signs are suspended from a barrel-vaulted atrium, 40 FT above the floor.

1994 VP FAIR, ST. LOUIS Designed and produced a variety of display and directional signage for the entire fair grounds, including sponsor banners, parking signs, events banners, and corporate logo banners. 1992 MONSANTO CHEMICAL/VP FAIR, ST. LOUIS Designed and fabricated large scale 3-D dinosaurs for the Monsanto Family Fun Village. Included two 15 FT tyrannosaurus and two 20 FT brontosaurus figures.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION 1998 HENRY O. TANNER AWARD, Portfolio Gallery 1997 1st Place, VISIONS ‘97, Portfolio Gallery 1996 1st Place, VISIONS ‘96, Portfolio Gallery 1988 3rd Place, ADVERTISING CLUB OF ST. LOUIS ADDY’S 1981 FLAIR AWARD, Advertising Federation of St. Louis 1980 3rd Place, Beaux Arts Competition, Columbus Gallery of Art, Columbus, OH 1979 Washington University Honors Award for Academic Scholarship and Achievement, St. Louis, MO

SELLECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS Anhueser Busch, Inc. S R Hoeft Direct Mail CORTEX, St. Louis, MO BJC Hospital, St. Louis, MO Adler Visual Systems St. Louis Science Center, MO Bi-State Development Agency St. Simon of Cyrene Catholic Church Busch Creative Services University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO Claybour & Associates Urban League, St. Louis, MO Dance St. Louis, MO

Washington University, St. Louis, MO DMB+B Wiseman Communications Eisenkramer & Associates YWCA Greater St. Louis Fleishman Hillard Grand/Tower Grove Redevelopment Corporation Hellmuth, Obata, & Kassabaum (HOK) Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club, St. Louis, MO Lambert International Airport of St. Louis Mallinckrodt Chemical Maring, Kanefield, & Weissman, Inc. Mark Twain Banks Phoenix Creative Saint Louis University, MO

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ARTISTS Laura Beard Heather Bennett Lisa K. Blatt Michael Byron Bunny Burson Judy Child Carmon Colangelo Terry James Conrad Alex Couwenberg Jill Downen Yvette Drury Dubinsky Damon Freed Douglass Freed Richard Hull

Ellen Jantzen Michael Jantzen Kelley Johnson Howard Jones (Estate) Chris Kahler Xizi Liu Bill Kohn (Estate) Leslie Laskey Justin Henry Miller James Austin Murray Yvonne Osei Patricia Olynyk Gary Passanise

Charles P. Reay Daniel Raedeke Tom Reed Frank Schwaiger Charles Schwall Christina Shmigel Thomas Sleet Buzz Spector Cindy Tower Mark Travers Monika Wulfers

Judy Pfaff