Sam Moyer, The Banks, 2015. Stone and dyed canvas mounted to MDF, 73″ H X 93″ W X 3/4″ D. Image and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
With an opening reception Thursday evening, Sean Kelly will host WIDE AWAKE. A remarkable exhibition of new work by Sam Moyer, this will be Moyer’s first solo show in New York since 2014 and her first exhibit with Sean Kelly.
Moyer, whose artwork is included in many renowned institutions, has created a body of work for the exhibit that is deeply personal and powerful. Moyer’s artwork is as powerful in its sentiment as it is within the physical space it commands from gallery.
Sam Moyer, Blue Moon, 2014. Marble and dyed canvas mounted to MDF. 69″ H X 69″ W X 3/4″ D. Image and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
“Recognized for a diverse practice that draws inspiration from architectural space and natural materials, Moyer fashions compelling hybrids that abstract the languages of painting and sculpture.”
Moyer artistically marries monumental architectural materials with materials traditionally associated with artwork. By combining these fields, Moyer creates a narrative that is completely her own.
Sam Moyer, It’s up to you and me brother (after EM), 2014. Installation view. Basel Art Public at Bass Museum, Miami, FL. Poured concrete and marble. 84″ H X 168″ W X 7″ D. Image and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
With a major architectural installation composed of immense sheets of stone carefully hinged and arranged to create a portal or gateway, Moyer will bisect the gallery. Beyond is a composition grid of 32 intimately scaled drawings.
Without a doubt, the scale of the exhibit within Sean Kelly will make an extraordinary impression.
Sam Moyer, Fog Dogged, 2017, (left). Stone, marble, hand-painted canvas mounted to MDF panel. 91 1/2″ H X 52″ W X 3/4″ D. And Sam Moyer, Galiesteo II, 2016, (right). Glass, glass paint, plexi, acrylic sheet, and brass frame. 48 1/2″ H X 36 1/2″ W X 1 1/2″ D. Images and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
WIDE AWAKE presents yet another first for Moyer: This is the first time Moyer has hand-painted canvases. At the core of the exhibit will be a painting measuring 18 feet in length. This bold centerpiece is related to the relatively smaller surrounding artworks on view.
The exhibition includes “a series of vibrant, large-scale paintings, a dramatic, architectural sculpture, and drawings in oil on paper. Each of Moyer’s large paintings is a unique composition of variegated and multi-hued sections of repurposed marble, slate and stone combined with fabrics in a spectrum of colors.”
Sam Moyer, Mary’s Chair, 2017, (left). Stone, hand-painted canvas mounted to MDF panel. 90 1/2″ H X 57 1/4″ W X 3/4″ D. And Sam Moyer, Bear it Away, 2017, (right). Stone, marble, hand-painted canvas mounted to MDF. 91 1/2″ H X 53″ W X 1″ D. Images and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
For Moyer the exhibit title WIDE WAKE refers to her constant appreciation of artists whom she has internalized who came before her.
She acknowledges “the breath of that influence” inspired by “David Smith to Robert Simmons, Agnes Martin to Eve Hesse.”
Sam Moyer, Dark Matter, 2017 (left). Travertine, hand-painted canvas mounted to MDF panel. 92″ H X 48 1/4″ W X 3/4″ D. And Sam Moyer, Breakers III, 2014, (right). Glass, glass paint, Plexiglas (acrylic sheet), and brass frame. 72 1/2″ H X 54 1/2″ W X 1 1/2″ D. Images and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
Moyer says, “ I think of this body of work as very personal and internal, while making direct reference to those that came before me, the artists and artworks that have imprinted themselves on my mind, and their ghosts that I have incorporated into my practice.”
We look forward to viewing this daring exhibit at Sean Kelly and will continue to keep Sam Moyer on our radar!
Sam Moyer, Installation view, Slowly, 2015. Marble, stone, and bronze. Galerie Rodolphe Janssen. Image and details courtesy of Sean Kelly.
Exhibit Details:
Sam Moyer
WIDE AWAKE
Opening reception, Thursday, October 26th, 6:00 – 8:00
Friday, October 27th through Saturday, December 9th
Sean Kelly
475 Tenth Avenue
New York, New York 10018