CONSENSUS at NADA HUDSON with MORGAN LEHMAN

RYAN WALLACE | CONSENSUS
NADA HUDSON | MORGAN LEHMAN GALLERY
July 28-29, 2012
Basilica Hudson 110 South Front Street, Hudson, NY

The New Art Dealers Alliance and Basilica Hudson are pleased to announce NADA Hudson, a large scale exhibition featuring 51 projects presented by NADA members and affiliates. NADA Hudson is not an art fair, but rather a site-specific project produced by the New Art Dealers Alliance, which will build upon the character of a historic venue in showcasing contemporary sculpture, installation and performance.Morgan Lehman Gallery will be exhibiting Ryan Wallace’s Consensus series. In his Consensus sculptures, Ryan Wallace explores the nature of perception. He combines his allure to contemporary science with his skepticism of representing the spiritual and mystical, suggesting the only constant among these disciplines to be the limit of human observation. The stones are arranged in formations inside vitrines behind varied tinted films. The automotive tints act as a filter, skewing the repeated objects visual reception. The rocks themselves suggest the possibility of infinite replication, with the exception of the tinted screen, which suggests the uniqueness and malleable nature of individual perception.These mineral formations in Wallace’s trompe l’oeil sculptures are “insignificant arrangements” but that the compositions force a viewer to consider a “potential higher meaning,” creating formal exercises that can’t escape their loaded nature. He cites Giuseppe Penone’s river stones, Stonehenge, and the caves of Lascaux and Cheveux among his influences, but claims the inspiration itself is analogous to the drive behind the scientist: the desire for discovery. Wallace’s usage of pedestrian media like auto tints and vitrines in the fine art context works to break down the barriers between high versus low, art object versus scientific display.

The Basilica Hudson, built in 1884 as a foundry and forge for the manufacture of steel railway wheels, is the last great 19th century building on the Hudson waterfront. NADA is grateful for the team at Basilica Hudson who offer a home for the artistic and cultural community at large. NADA Hudson will occupy nearly 8,000 square feet of indoor space, a theatre space and well over 10,000 square feet of outdoor space.

Hudson, New York is becoming a popular satellite city for cultural activity.  Hudson is home to many dealers specializing in antiques and decorative arts, while also attracting international artists like Marina Abromovic and Jason Middlebrook. Hudson is very accessible to visitors from New York City. Trains run frequently to Hudson about every hour leaving from Pennsylvania Station and the ride is about 2 hours. As always NADA Hudson will be free and open to the public.