Andrew Lewicki
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Work from his oeuvre
“Through an exploration of the language of material, meaning of form, and viewer reception, I investigate the overlapping space between social symbolism, functional intent, and reckless imagination. Using sculpture, site specific installation, and photography I explore ideas on longing and desire, notions of inferiority in a materialistic society, and the transformative power of liberation through the manipulation of material and form. Drawing from my own relationship to deviant subcultures such as graffiti and skate culture, I confront the many physical and psychological boundaries that often expose the subject of our desire. I strive to create art that will penetrate beyond the typical boundaries of the gallery space, and engage viewers from the cultural soil from which it is inspired.
In my most recent work, I have turned to ordinary urban aesthetics such as civil engineering, commercial pop imagery, and luxury/design branding, to inform my uncanny sculptures and photographs of ironic signage. “One-liners” dominate the foundation of this work, and I use them in a method that parodies their social function: to create a blip in the otherwise smoothly serious façade of life. Often playing on childhood nostalgia, I hope to elicit a reversion to a more instinctual response in viewing one’s environment and everyday objects. My process of production includes careful consideration of material symbolism, as well as meticulous mimicry of ubiquitous fabrication/production aesthetics. A collision of absurd irony develops, that is often shockingly simple, but the effect on the viewer is complex.” – Andrew Lewicki