DAVID BORGERDING by Callan Contemporary

D A V I D

B O R G E R D I N G

r e c e p t i o n

j a n u a r y

8th 6 - 9 pm

NEW SCULPTURE In his his sixth sixth solo exhibition with Callan Contemporary, sculptor David Borgerding debuts a suite of lyrically elegant abstract sculptures in In welded bronze, bronze, which engage the poetics of space and evoke the qualities of movement, buoyancy, optimism, and freedom. Across welded a wide wide range range of of scales, scales, these these freestanding, freestanding, pedestal-mounted pedestal-mounted works works flow flow from from the the artist’s artist’s personal personal syntax syntax of a of resonant resonant forms, forms, a a visual visual vocabulary characterized characterized by by dramatic dramatic contrasts contrasts of of verticality verticality and and horizontality, horizontality, scale scale and and volume, volume, part part and and whole. whole. This vocabulary This lexicon lexicon constantly constantly evolves as asBorgerding Borgerdinginnovates innovatesnew newmaterial materialand and compositional strategies, guided a sense of invention, improvisation, evolves compositional strategies, guided byby a sense of invention, improvisation, andand play.play. The The sculptures are invigorating to experience, their contours appearing to shift when viewed from different angles, the metal shimmering sculptures are invigorating to experience, their contours appearing to shift when viewed from different angles, the metal shimmering with with patinas and randomized textures, galvanizing light, activating the surfaces. Many pieces have sweeping, elongated lines, patinas and randomized linear linear textures, galvanizing light, activating the surfaces. Many pieces have sweeping, elongated lines, curves, curves, and cantilevers, the exaggerated proportion of Mannerist and theEmpire FrenchStyle. Empire Style. forms and cantilevers, recallingrecalling the exaggerated proportion ratios of ratios Mannerist paintingspaintings and the French Often theOften formsthe balance balance on pinpoint fulcrums, giving the appearance of floating in defiance of gravity. on pinpoint fulcrums, giving the appearance of floating in defiance of gravity. Borgerding Borgerding earned earned a a B.F.A. B.F.A. degree at Kendall College of Art and Design and an M.F.A. from Savannah College of Art & Design. The recipient recipient of of prestigious grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, he has been based in New Orleans since 2000. His studio in the Irish Channel neighborhood, neighborhood, custom-designed custom-designed to to accommodate large sculptures, is a sprawling space with 20-foot doors, 25-foot ceilings, Channel and dual bridge is represented in important private, corporate, andand institutional collections throughout the and bridge cranes cranes to tolift liftheavy heavywork. work.He He is represented in important private, corporate, institutional collections throughout United States, Europe, andand Asia, andand hashas executed ambitiously scaled commissions including thethe 18-foot-tall Volpang, commissioned the United States, Europe, Asia, executed ambitiously scaled commissions including 18-foot-tall Volpang, prominently by The Helis Foundaton forinitsthe Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition; installed on Poydras Street New Orleans Central Business District;the the23-foot-tall 23-foot-tallPangatam, Pangatam,commissioned commissionedby by philanthropist philanthropist Thomas Thomas B. Coleman and most recently, thethe 2020 sculpture AESHAW, which is installed in ainprivate sculpture garden in New Orleans and which, at B. Coleman; and most recently, 2020 sculpture AESHAW, which is installed a private sculpture garden in New Orleans and which, 10 10 feet talltall byby 24.5 feet long, is Borgerding’s largest commission to to date. at feet 24.5 feet long, is Borgerding’s largest commission date. Even as if if they they are are Even at at monumental monumental scale, scale, these these artworks artworks evoke evoke an an elemental elemental simplicity simplicity that that seems seems effortless—an effortless—an aerodynamic aerodynamic levity, levity, as poised and labor-intensive labor-intensive process, process, poised to to become become airborne—yet airborne—yet their their creation creation is is anything anything but but facile. facile. The The products products of of a a meticulous meticulous timetime- and they welding of of the the bronze bronze they typically typically begin begin with with sketches, sketches, then then progress progress to to cardboard cardboard maquettes, maquettes, and and culminate culminate in in the the shaping shaping and and welding components, components, with with the scoring of surfaces and application of patinas the final steps. The planning, technical finesse, and sheer visceral exertion exertion required required to impart the illusion of lightness is discussed in “Borgerding”, a 200-page monograph about the artist’s career published by Callan Callan Contemporary in 2019: “Within this paradox—the appearance of ease and elegance, undergirded by exacting calculation by and hard hard work—lies one of Borgerding’s greatest strengths: His artistry and analytical mind are one. He is a poet but also a problemand solver. He He engineers engineers enigmas.” enigmas.” solver.

Richard Speer

RECEPTION: SATURDAY, JANUARY 8th 6-9 PM EXHIBITION DATES: JANUARY 7th - FEBRUARY 26th, 2022 Front Cover: ANOIK 2021, welded bronze, 12" x 47" x 7"

FLIDR 2021, welded bronze, 46" x 83" x 12"

IGNARAK 2021, welded bronze, 19" x 96" x 17"

WATOWAN 2021 welded bronze, 51" x 9" x 7"

ANIPAT 2021 welded bronze, 39" x 10" x 8"

518 Julia Street | New Orleans, LA 70130

STADUR 2021, welded bronze, 30" x 27" x 10"

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