19″x15″; acrylic paint, spray paint, marker, ink, oil pastel, charcoal, newsprint on canvas; 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Fleisher/Ollman; Photo: Claire Iltis
COLLAGE ON VIEW
Molly Metz: Close Closer and Bill Walton: Material Gestures
at Fleisher/Ollman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
11 June-13 August 2021
Molly Metz: Close Closer
Molly Metz’s multivalent paintings weirdly teem with life. Her abstractions bring to mind the complexity of existence from the cellular to the astronomical, from the terrestrial to the aquatic, and the nooks and crannies in-between…Many of Metz’s works feature words and short phrases—quotidian in nature—that bring humor into the picture. Tiny texts (“telling,” “close closer,” “no,” “yes,” “sounds about right”) are often embedded within odd-shaped forms (cells, squiggles, gestures) with words occasionally so small that at first glance we might mistake them for thready bits of organic material…Drawing and washing with ink on newsprint, Metz creates what often appear as brush strokes or, in more elaborate instances, micro-paintings that are seamlessly adhered to the surface of the canvas. Several of Metz’s paintings in the exhibition hold secret surprises—extemporaneous and process-oriented sketches in paint on the reverse of their supports.
8″x4″x3″; brass, iron, wood, white glass; no date. Courtesy of the Estate of Bill Walton and Fleisher/Ollman; Photo: Claire Iltis
Bill Walton: Material Gestures
Bill Walton’s (1931-2010) sculptural process is defined by the manner in which wood and metal are stacked on top of each other; linen is folded into forms frozen by paint; and objects are tooled and shaped from various metals like copper, aluminum, lead, and brass…Bringing together the austerity of Minimalism with a respect for handmade precision, many of his works may trick viewers into believing that what lies before them are found objects, rather than the rigorously crafted sculptures that belie their subtlety…Walton did not believe in dating his art, not out of a desire to obscure chronology, but because he knew he might go back to certain “completed” works with a different approach over the span of several years. His tinkering allowed him a continuum and flux that suited his core beliefs about his art: that objects constructed from vintage parts (a dead tree limb, a salvaged floor board, or piece of metal) could be readjusted in tandem with a view of the constantly shifting world around us.
(texts adapted from materials provided by the gallery)
INFORMATION
Fleisher/Ollman
Suite 215
915 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19123 USA
(215) 545-7562
Hours (June-July 2021):
Tuesday-Friday, 10:30AM-5:30PM
Reservations preferred, but not required. Reserve HERE.
Hours (August 2021):
By appointment only. Email or call (215) 545-7562.