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Solo exhibition of work by Carrie Rubinstein
On view: December 14-January 27
Artist Statement:
Influenced by the abundant brick and plaster walls of the Crosstown Concourse building in which it was conceived, Brick Fiction consists of two freestanding wooden structures that are covered in drawings that mimic those surfaces. The walls of Crosstown Concourse reveal layers of sandblasted paint, plaster, brick, and concrete from the previous century. The beauty of this raw surface inspires my sensibilities as an artist because it sparks my curiosity about the prior occupants of this place.
Both structures stand at 10 x 9 x 8’ tall and contain full-size doors and two windows. The viewer is invited to experience the work from its interior and perimeter. One structure features hand-drawn individual bricks for its entire exterior. Even though each structure is nine feet tall, the overlapping placement of each interior drawing of plaster walls produces an unexpected intimacy. Other objects made entirely from hand-drawn and folded sheet paper include a ceiling that resembles wooden planks, an electrical outlet, and a three-dimensional fuse box with bolts and wire housing.
Rubinstein is motivated by the dichotomy of building representational space out of non-traditional construction materials. This natural tension drives her practice and she continually seeks to give it structure. Brick Fiction celebrates the renewal of an old space and its objects complement the revitalized edifice from which they are inspired.
- Brick Fiction is inspired by the raw beauty found in the walls of Crosstown Concourse
- Aside from the wooden framework, the objects are all hollow constructed sheet paper.
- Using paper to represent solid construction materials is a driving force for the artist.
About the artist:
Carrie Rubinstein is a Brooklyn-based artist who creates ink drawings, paper sculptures, and watercolor paintings. She earned her BA in Studio Art from Smith College, a post- baccalaureate degree in Sculpture from Brandeis University, and her MFA in Sculpture from Hunter College with a semester at L’École des Beaux Arts in Paris.
Notable NYC-based group shows include exhibitions at Arts@Renaissance, Brooklyn Museum’s Go Open Studio Project, A.I.R. Gallery, Orgy Park, The Roger Smith Hotel, and TSA Gallery. In 2010-11, Rubinstein coordinated the tART art collective, and in 2013 was a sculpture resident at the Vermont Studio Center.
Her VSC experience generated early work for Retrofit, a full-room installation made entirely from paper through drawings, hollow constructed sculptures, and castings. Brooklyn’s Rhombus Space presented Retrofit, which was Rubinstein’s first NYC solo show, and she was their August 2015 artist-in-residence. In June 2017, Rubinstein created the paper installation, Found Underground, at Hunter College’s Thomas Hunter Project Space in Manhattan. In September 2017, Retrofit traveled to the Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, MI. This was Rubinstein’s first solo museum show. Rubinstein was honored to be a pilot artist in-residence at Crosstown Arts in Memphis for 2017-18.
