FP Contemporary Presents
Abstract Florals
“The Candy Coated Collection”
by artist Michael Kalish
September 10, 2022 – October 29, 2022
Opening Reception September 10, 2022 from 5-8 PM
FP Contemporary is pleased to announce the opening reception of Abstract Florals “The Candy Coated Collection,” a solo exhibition featuring new works by internationally acclaimed artist Michael Kalish.
As a sculptor, Kalish primarily works in metal, both in large-scale public installations and limited edition pieces for galleries and private collectors around the globe. Abstract Florals “The Candy Coated Collection” is a multidimensional 17-piece series of laser-cut layered abstracts with poppy flowers designed and fabricated in layers of acrylic glass. It’s also the debut of a new medium for Kalish who became captivated with acrylic and vibrant colors – opaque neons and reflective jeweled tones of greens and blues, golds and pinks – at a time when he felt the world needed a pick-me-up.
“I felt a jolt of bright color was exactly what this post-pandemic world needed to reinvigorate, renew, and feel hopeful again,” said Kalish.
Kalish grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and launched his career in New York City in the mid 1990s, quickly gaining global recognition for his transformation of ordinary objects into unique works of pop art. From his pop iconography to his collections of Americana, Kalish’s passion for metal evolved from salvaged parts to more refined laser-cut aluminum and mirrored stainless steel sculptures.
In Kalish’s next evolution, he created multi-dimensional wall sculptures in layered- laser-cut aluminum ranging in size. The collection led to solo exhibitions in museums and galleries in Stockholm, Geneva, Los Angeles, and New York. These three-dimensional works playfully interact with viewers, affording unique experiences and reflections depending upon their vantage points.
Soon after, Kalish began dotting the globe with large–scale public work. In his most daring and bold expression, Kalish unveiled “The Art of Finding Love,” a 20-foot x 6-foot x 6-foot interactive sculpture. Kalish designed the contemporary piece so a viewer must find the exact vantage point where the sculpture is no longer abstract, and “Love” literally comes into focus. A series of scaled versions of the large-scale public monument were shown at FP Contemporary and across the United States in 2017.
Kalish has also completed several large-scale public installations all receiving critical acclaim, including “reALIze,” the world’s largest multi-dimensional sculpture of Muhammad Ali. The 35-foot interactive sculpture was unveiled in downtown Los Angeles at Staples Center in 2011, garnering global press and receiving the American Architecture Sculpture of the year award. The breathtaking effect was an enormous, 360-degree, two-story structure composed of five miles of stainless steel cables, two miles of aluminum tubing, and 1,300 boxing speed bags all conspiring to become a photorealistic image of Ali, only viewable from one exact spot.
Other public monuments include: Raise The Caliber, a tribute to victims of gun violence in America; “Floral Sky,” an 18-foot Floral canopy of powder-coated metal local florals in Arlington VA; “Illuminating a Path,” an interactive stack of illuminating books commissioned for Waunakee High School in Wisconsin; and “Sunflowers,” a 20-foot public sculpture set to be installed in 2023 in Cupertino, CA; and “Floral Canopy,” two 40-foot floral sculptures for the City of Coral Gables, to name a few.
Kalish has been featured in the NY Times, Time Magazine, LA Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Art in America, The ARTnews Review, Wired Magazine, Details, People Magazine, Hollywood Life Magazine, US Weekly, and American Way Magazine. He has made TV appearances on CBS Sunday Morning, CNN’s “Route to the Top.” MSN, and The Learning Channel and served as the host of Discovery Channel’s “Final Offer.” Kalish’s work is in countless prominent public and private collections worldwide including the US Embassy in Moscow, Ford Motor Company Collection and Coca-Cola Corporation Collection.
“Kalish’s exhibits and new works are not just masterful but hopeful; being surrounded by them makes us feel that the best days are yet to come.” -Reid Busk, Art Critic
Please join us at our new gallery space for the opening reception, and anytime during the duration of the show.
Signature Cocktails provided by Los Magos – The Desert Spirit – Chihuahua Mexico
