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L.A. Louver is pleased to present the fi rst solo exhibition of Los Angeles-based artist
Ben Jackel.
Ben Jackel’s sculptures blend the artist’s interest in history, particularly the history of war,
and an attraction to the beauty of man-made objects, with his sophisticated handling of clay
and wood. The forms that Jackel creates range from simple devices, to highly technical and
refi ned machines; from objects that are life-size, to those many times smaller or larger than
their real-life equivalent.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is an installation of 256 Greek warriors created from clay,
titled Syntagma, 2008-2009. The 6 inch-high fi gures – each a unique combination of stance,
helmet, breastplate and shield – hold a metal-tipped mahogany spear, and are presented
in battle formation.
In the series Miles to Go Until We Sleep, 2008-2009, seven naval destroyers plow through
a gallery wall and are perceived by the visitor in aerial view. Each vessel re-imagines an
original warship from the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle of WWII. In lyrical
counterbalance to the ships, with Benediction, 2008-2009, Jackel interprets the shrouded, winged fi gure created by Daniel Chester French (1850-
1931) in 1922, to commemorate the Massachusetts dead
of WWI (collection of the Huntington Art Collection, San
Marino, California).
Jackel is also interested in that ancient tool of war, as
well as work, the axe. Here he creates both a life-size
version of a fi re axe in clay, as well as an ancient axe
head in massive scale: installed on its side and resting
against the wall, this 10-feet-high form titled Down
to the Bone, 2008-2009, is carved from redwood and
coated with graphite. A fi re extinguisher, a fi re hose, and
a box of sprinkler heads comprise a group of functional
objects that are generally taken for granted, until crisis
commands attention to their necessity. These Jackel
renders functionless, with each meticulously executed
sculpture presented in an ebony box that absorbs light
and creates stillness around the object; our attention is
driven to the quiet elegance of their forms.
Born and raised in Denver, Jackel received his BFA at
the University of Colorado, Boulder before moving to Los
Angeles to pursue a MFA at the University of California,
Los Angeles. At UCLA, Jackel studied with department
head Adrian Saxe, who proved to be a critical infl uence
in the development of Jackel’s work in clay, and artist
Charles Ray, with whom Jackel has continued to work
following his graduation in 2005.
L.A. Louver was proud to include three sculptures by Jackel in
Rogue Wave 2007 exhibition -- the gallery began its representation
of Jackel immediately thereafter.
L.A. Louver is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm
Validated parking is available in the garage directly opposite
the gallery.
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