Nov. 9-Dec. 15, 2012: The Sculptures of Jimmy Riordan

by Michelle Saport  |   

Taxidermied Chicken, Net WT 10.75 oz. by Jimmy Riordan, 2012Show Dates: Friday, Nov. 9-Saturday, Dec. 15
Location:
Arc Gallery (inside UAA/APU Consortium Library)


Jimmy Riordan is a multi-disciplinary artist currently living in Homer, Alaska. Riordan created the work for this exhibition within the last 15 months. The sculptures include the use of neon encased in salvaged oxygen tanks that have been punctured leaving apertures for viewing their interiors. His Portrait of Jasun is an abstract portrait among the three in the gallery using neon.

Another series of works includes tin cans--such as his Taxidermied Chicken (pictured at right), which is a fabricated found object using a Campbell's soup can for its body. All the cans used for the various figurative works in this series are riddled with bullet holes.

The other works in this exhibit consist of wax projects that include large-scale molded figures in wax of Mary and Joseph with extended wicks and a set of candlesticks and candles. The works are intended to be humorous both in terms of material and content. The use of kitsch-related allusions to commercially commodified products and religious votive figurines that have been commercialized and marketed is an underpinning to these works.

This body of work is comprised entirely of sculpture. However, Riordan has never been linked to any specific medium and he continues to explore a wide range of experimental directions.

For more on the artist, visit his website.

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