An all-sculpture art exhibit by a Jersey City craftsman attempts to get to the bottom of what it means to be human. Furniture maker-by-day Dana Gannon opens her new exhibit “Animalia” at 58 Gallery, 58 Coles St. in Jersey City, an exhibit exploring “the residual primal needs that connect us to the animal world.”
“When it comes to sculpture, I try to be really discerning,” said curator and founder of 58 Gallery Orlando Reyes. “Not like there’s a block of wood and that’s sculpture.”
“Animalia” is one of only two sculpture shows Reyes has held at the gallery in over seven years of monthly exhibits.
“The artist’s hand and the craftsmanship are paramount,” said Reyes, who traveled to Rome last week for an opening of his own work at the Contemporary Museum of Rome. “I love when you can really see the skill in the art. When you see a piece and say, ‘Woah, this must have taken hours and hours of work.’ ”
“This is my more animal side.” – Dana Gannon
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“I traveled there with my sculptures and spent three weeks working on the wax pieces,” Gannon said. “Six months later the finished bronzes were shipped back to the US.”
Most of her work in the exhibit is of animals like swans feeding their young, crabs, mosquitoes and various other creatures.
“A lot of my work is of human figures,” Gannon said, “this is my more animal side.” Gannon’s work also includes gypsum, a type of resin-reinforced plaster. “Animal forms can conjure up different emotive qualities,” Gannon said.
First times a charm
“Animalia,” is Gannon’s first solo show, although she has shown at the gallery in group-shows before.
“It was a huge challenge for me,” Gannon said, “many, many, many a late night. Let’s just say that. But, I had a lot of help, too – a lot of great friends who were a huge help.”
Gannon said that after selling four pieces during her exhibit, she realized that she needed to make more of an effort to get her work to the public.
“It’s hard when you’re working full time,” she said, “but I found that I need to find more avenues to display my work and reach other people.”
The closing reception for “Animalia” will be held on Dec. 19 from 7 to 11 p.m., although Reyes said the show might close earlier due to the holidays.
“I want to give people as many chances to see this work as possible,” Reyes said. “It shouldn’t be missed.”
For more information about the exhibit, visit www.fifty8.com.
Sean Allocca can be reached at editorial@hudsonreporter.com