Tayloe Piggott Gallery is pleased to present “like a language,” an exhibition featuring the recent works of San Francisco-based artist Mari Andrews. The works will be on view from February 10th, 2012 through March 27th, 2012. On Friday, February 10th, from 5 to 8 p.m., Tayloe Piggott Gallery will hold an opening reception for Andrews’ exhibition. The public is welcome to enjoy drinks while mingling amongst the new works of Mari’s second solo show at the Tayloe Piggott Gallery. Artist, Rakuko Naito, will simultaneously hold her first solo show at the gallery.
The work of Mari Andrews has evolved out of years of drawing and obsessive collecting. Through her sculptures, she weaves these two actions together. Wire, pine needles, branches and other linear materials carry on the drawing practice while moving the work into the sculptural realm. Time spent gathering, cleaning and storing of collected objects, whether they are man-made or natural, allows for a kind of wonder and intimacy with each object. This gleaned information is crucial while combining materials to make new, hybrid forms. These sculptural drawings ultimately transform the materials used and bring attention to fragile and often fugitive objects that might otherwise go unnoticed. For the most part, these three-dimensional drawings are presented on the wall. They are made as singular pieces and frequently come together in larger wall installations. The individual works relate to and play off of each other like words forming sentences or sentences telling a story.
Structures of all kinds from cellular and mineral to plant and skeletal, inform the work. Mari’s pieces become a collaboration of materials and intention, with the materials often altering her concept and practice of work. The various temporal and delicate objects Andrews chooses to work with often mirror our human sensitivities and vulnerabilities. Strong yet delicate, simple but complex, playful yet quiet, each work comes from its own place and offers the viewer a chance for their own interpretation.
Growing up in Ohio as one of ten children, Andrews found solitude, solace and expression in art and nature. After receiving her MFA at the Otis Art Institute of Parson’s School of Design in Los Angeles, Andrews moved north and now calls Emeryville, CA home. Mari has received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship among other awards and is represented in various galleries and private collections across the country. For further information regarding Mari Andrews or the show, please call the gallery at 307.733.0555 or visit us online:
www.tayloepiggottgallery.com