Transmission Gallery San Francisco is pleased to present Gut Feeling, a solo exhibition of work by sculptor Laura Van Duren, July 28th through September 11th, 2022. See the work on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 1-6pm at 35 Bartlett St. in San Francisco’s lively Mission District, July 29 – September 11, 2022.
Laura Van Duren Artist’s Statement
My work embraces adaptation and resilience of the body in response to pressures on a personal and collective level. I create abstract sculptures that draw upon the hidden landscapes of water and bone, holding an intelligence that reaches beyond our rational minds. These forms have a unique interdependence with each other, weaving a seductive language of unpredictability and playfulness.
Looking deeper into the brain-gut axis system which regulates unconscious actions, I become curious about how our bodies hold pathways for both trauma and recovery. This system contains patterns of contraction as well as the possibility for embodied wisdom.
The materials I use reference the internal functions and processes of a body in motion, balancing rigidness with fluidity. Clay mirrors human transformation in its fleshy and malleable state. Glycerin’s translucent quality not only mimics the fluid inside us, but it is also a substance used in our foods, cosmetics and body soap. Viewers are often surprised to find what appears to be liquid is actually quite solid. The illusion entices the audience to touch, inspiring a visceral response.
As I come across discarded wooden chairs and furniture, I reflect on their history and who they supported. I carefully deconstruct the backs and legs, leaving the dowels and holes to reveal past connections that were the building blocks of stability. Each of us needs a balance of structure and flexibility in our lives. The bones of our daily existence allow us the space to be held in the paradoxical nature of existence.
