Arlene Shechet: Girl Group at Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, NY. Discussion Participants: Sculptors Garth Evans and Jock Ireland, with guest sculptor Lydia Gladkova. (Video and editing by Rachael Bohlander) Recorded October 2024.
Comments for discussion are welcome.
Sculpture Forum 
I find both the outdoor and indoor pieces awkward. The outdoor large scale pieces look to be attempting to fly but are moving in too many directions and are propped up so they don’t fall down. There is an episode from the old Seinfeld show that has the Elaine character at an office party trying to dance while her co-workers look on in horror because she is so spastic, and these sculptures are similar. The smaller indoor pieces are an attempt (unsuccessful) to mix materials only because of their surface differences and the overall color sense is bad. The indoor piece that shows an organic form melting off of the small cut I-beam reminds me of a Jacques Tati film “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday”, in the scenes where the ice cream/taffy pushcart vendor’s taffy is drooping/melting off the stick supporting it only to be rehung (comically) by the ever watchful Mr. Hulot. I don’t know if Arlene was being humorous or playful, or if she was so worried about a success that she missed those associations, as Ms. Gladkova also had her humorous connection to Sponge Bob.
Thanks for this swell video.
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Cool work! Even a little humor there. And it interacts beautifully with its outdoor environment.
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Understanding sculpture requires considerable work on part of the viewer. Thank you, Mr. Evan’s and your colleagues for helping me do that through this forum!
I found your viewing and critique of the Arlene Shechet: “Girl Group” to be valid and just. Especially when Garth was talking about how the structural support appendages for the large works distracted from the sculpture. “Just take them away and let it fall down” came out of my mouth at the same time you said it.
Truth to material is an absolute in sculpture or any structure for that matter but it is essential that it not be seen as it steals any emotion that we might experience!
Thank you, Andrew
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