Published by Pace Publishing. Text by Rachel Silveri. Interview by Deborah Solomon, Michaela Mohrmann.
This volume brings together more than a dozen of New York–based artist Arlene Shechet’s (born 1951) most recent sculptures, colorful engrossing assemblages in wood, clay and bronze, include large-scale works and a monumental outdoor piece. Though her works appear effortless and forgiving of imperfections, they are the products of an intuitive and technically fastidious approach, involving casting, painting, firing, carving, stacking, undoing and redoing with no predetermined endpoint.
This exhibition catalog illustrates each work in the show in detail and includes installation images that walk the reader through the exhibition. Utilizing a word that is both verb and a noun, Shechet reclaims misogynist slang. As if to counter this term’s reduction of women to passive things, Shechet’s unruly polymorphous sculptures suggest that objects themselves are active and subversive. This volume features a new essay by scholar Rachel Silveri and interviews with the artist.
Published by Gregory R. Miller & Co.. Text by Dominic Molon, Maureen Cassidy-Geiger, Elizabeth A. Williams. Interview by Judith Tannenbaum.
Arlene Shechet: Meissen Recast is an exploration of the acclaimed sculptor's recent residency at the world-renowned German porcelain factory. The first porcelain manufacturers in Europe, the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory has attracted artists and artisans from around the world since its establishment in the early 1700s. During her residency, Shechet gained access to all areas of the factory's production, learning their techniques, using their tools and familiarizing herself with their traditions. The astounding body of work that emerged from her time at Meissen, including adaptations and combinations of the original molds, both celebrates this history and subverts our very ideas of craftsmanship in porcelain. Meissen Recast stunningly captures a groundbreaking project. This book will change the way you view the traditions and future possibilities of decorative arts and their intersection with the realms of contemporary art.