Sculpture Center

12/26/2014

I found out about Sculpture Center through one of the local pamphlets servicing Long Island City, New York and I am so glad that I came to visit as my last stop in Queens for my Very First Day which was basically yesterday!

When I arrived, I was greeted by Steven who works at their Visitor's Center and Membership Program department who told me a bit about the background on how they got started all the way back in the 1928 under a different company name called The Clay Club.

When they moved to Manhattan during the 1940's, the name changed to SculptureCenter and shifted its' gears.

They later purchased a building back in 2001 and officially opened up to the public back in 2002.

They are known for offering a very nice temporary collection of various sculptures and films.  During my visit, when I went  down to their basement, I noticed an exhibit going round and round with something like a clothesline containing Body Parts that really Scared Me!  Don't worry, they are Not Real, however, it reminded me of the movie, Friday the 13th or even Halloween!  

Lol.

9/30/2013

I'm not really a fan, and as an art enthusiast and LIC resident, I really wanted to be. Why? Because when the hell is it ever open? There have been two or three occasions where I checked the website for hours if they were going to be open, and it looked like it was supposed to have some exhibit or other, then I showed up only for it to be closed.

The one time I did successfully visit was during the block party they hosted during the summer, when it was filled with tables of wannabe artists selling the lowest order of bullshit "found art" along with twenty-page zines and critical essays no one would want to buy that they were selling for $20 and up.

Maybe someday I will successfully be able to visit again (God knows I keep trying) and give it more stars, but for now it gets two.

3/2/2013

I'm looking at the other reviews for Sculpture Center and thinking, "Wow! What a great bunch of thoughtful, well-written reviews!" It just goes to show that Sculpture Center is a real magnet for intellectual types. It does exciting things that the bigger institutions in the city can't risk and as such it performs an important function in the New York art world. I don't have much to add to what's already been said here, but I wanted to give Sculpture Center some stars!

3/6/2011

If the E Train is messed up (like it was today) when you try to visit the Sculpture Center, you have my sympathies. It wasn't easy to find.

Actually, it's the classic "Oh, THERE it is! Right there! So easy." Once you already know how to get there. It's up Jackson Avenue several blocks from PS 1, back into Queens, a block away from Burger Garage (closed Sundays, dammit!).

The neighborhood itself is working on becoming a latter day DUMBO. There are empty lots cheek-by-jowl with places like the Sculpture Center, next door to luxo condominium buildings in various stages of completion, the rusty 7 train tracks rumbling through, and lots of taxi cab garages. Actually, the rocks, assorted discards, graffiti, and general detritus in the vacant lot across from the Sculpture Center was pretty intriguing sculpture to me.

Probably not 1 in 100,000 people reading Yelp care about  Ursula von Rydingsvard, but a show of her carved cedar sculptures is currently up. Tactile is the word for this work, carved out of cedar blocks, hewn, sawed, overwritten with graphite.  Dare I say it, even "smell-tile" would be a good word for it (the cedar smell is part of the intention of the work. It was brought out by the damp, rainy weather today).

Her sculptures are on exhibit in the main gallery space, which is a minimally-restored former industrial space. If you're a sucker for minimally-restored industrial spaces, as I am, you'll like it -- all brick and cast iron framework, with an incredible skylight 30 feet above.

Down stairs is a maze-like, kind of claustrophobia-inducing, sometimes spooky, second gallery. With spaces like this, I feel like my interest is always wavering between the old architecture and the artwork on view. Ideally, the art will win out over the architecture. Not this time, not for me. There was a group show down here that pushed the meaning of sculpture right up to (and maybe even past?), the breaking point. Like, um, is video sculpture? Is photography sculpture?

If this set of shows is typical, then they're working on balancing the more tactile work and the conceptual stuff.

For me this was an exploratory visit and I'll want to add the Sculpture Center to my list of places to drop in on regularly.

3/27/2011

Though my review focuses on the Rydingsvard exhibit, I'm still not a  fan of the historic and industrial Sculpture Center space. It is dusty and smells funky- not in a good way. Under the main exhibit, there is a downstairs section with other works displayed in a random order. It smells even worse than the ground floor, and its darkness possess an eerie feeling related to the Saw films. I recommend that you don't go alone, if you decide to go at all.

To the main exhibit: while I start writing my response to Ursula von Rydingsvard, already, I feel terrible.  Here's why: I do not enjoy her work. I really want to like it, especially since I also have a Ukrainian ethnic background like the artist. Still, I could not manage to surpass any feeling greater than indifference or disapproval. Perhaps it was the dull color palate used in the organic wooden sculptures. Her choice of some materials used for different sculptures was a bit odd: expensive cedar wood that was infested with splinters and cow intestines, (don't tell PETA). Though not all works shared animal parts, the wood story felt too redundant and
uninspiring.

Though, I must give Ms. Von Rydingsvard much credit for her hard work. The carvings and handlings of the wood must have taken a great deal of time. The process itself may have even been overwhelming. It is safe to say that perhaps she had assistants helping her with the projects. To be fair, her "Wall Pocket" (2003-4) is probably the closest work that possessed beauty or pleasantness. The Jenga game like structure seems like a continuous puzzle. This uneven spiraled wooden statue stands at about thirteen feet, a towering space of wonder. Still, it seems to be missing something. Like most (if not all) of her pieces, there is a barren sensation when regarding it. It reminds me of a desert, plain and dry. Perhaps a waterfall at the top of the tower would create a more pleasing image. Then again, perhaps this was Rydingsvard's idea, creating works with a dismal undertone.

Another questionable piece is "Droga" (2009). Like "Wall Pocket," it appears as a semi spiraling figure, only it lies on the floor. Also, there are numerous layers and ridges carved into the wood. The front of the sculpture has a larger opening than the back. The front resembles a mysterious cave that is tempting to crawl through and discover. Unfortunately, the splinters surrounding the piece and the exhibit's security prevent this desire from becoming a reality. Though not a pleasant work, it remains powerful. When viewing it at first glance, I am afraid that the object will come to life and start crawling towards me. Nevertheless, this anxiety is not very inviting and not something that makes me want to visit again anytime soon.

7/15/2010

I came here for the Knight's Move Catalog Launch Party - it was exhibits, cocktails, and live music with the last being frankly, the best part of the whole visit. However, it was so bloody hot with no A/C in humid conditions and 90+ degree temperature. Hrm, I was dripping in sweat and fanning myself furiously.  

In any case, I digress. There were a few interesting pieces and the space itself is great for hosting art exhibits and installations.  It's not a large institution so if you're expecting to spend hours as one does at the Met or MoMA, please downsize and shift your expectations.  I'd recommend any visitor who is visiting LIC to include Sculpture Center as one of the stops on the itinerary, rather that being the itinerary or even the focal point of the day trip.  

Sculpture Center is not your typical gallery.  There are so many ways to maximize use of the space (especially downstairs), which I didn't see on my visit.

2/17/2009

Already in the 'hood after a spectacular visit to PS1, we headed over to the Sculpture Center. Like PS1, Sculpture Center has no permanent exhibits. The space used to be a trolley repair shop and that was the most notable artwork here.

I didn't enjoy any of the exhibits here and the term sculpture is defined very loosely here. There was one exhibit in the basement that had some Louis XVI furniture and drapery going on and then there were dentures haphazardly strewn about. Art is subjective but seriously, what the eff.

Suggested admission is $5 and suggested student admission is $2. It's only a few blocks from PS1 and also steps from the subway.

5/5/2008

The current show CASINO ILINX is excellent. Set in the lower level gallery, the artist uses the twists and turns of the haunting space brilliantly: pieces displayed in crevices, winding down narrow tunnels, voices echoing...

Four of the most impressive works are displayed together in the largest room: 2 interactive art/gambling tables, ethereal-looking cubes, and a beautiful floor-to-ceiling  installation piece.

The opening reception was great; hijinks & performance art.

Highly recommended.

(go to PS 1 around the corner & make a day out of it!!)

4/4/2007

What a great space. Guess the building was used to repair streetcars back in the day when the city actually had streetcars.

I love art, but am not a big fan of museums or galleries. This place highlights why by doing everything the other places don't do. The art really fits into the space (and with some of the pieces, looked to be designed specifically for the space); it isn't crowded (although they probably would like that part to change); and the show I saw lacked the pretension and self-consciousness that pervades the world 'o art.

No blank white walls here. Wandering through this place is more akin to urban exploration.

Check out the space (and the show I saw):
deliriousnewyorker.blogs…

1/4/2008

Good curation and conveniently close to PS1. I always drop by this place whenever visiting New York.