While painting may, in most cases, operate within the mind alone, sculpture is intrinsically connected to the body. Sculpture itself has a certain corporeality. The works aren’t abstracted onto a wall, but rather exist in the world among us. We are forced to reckon with their existence because we have to adjust ourselves around sculptures. To take them in, we have to navigate around them, walking around, over, under, or through them. The physical nature of sculpture and its broad array of functions is on display at Various Small Fires’ new group show, “Psychosomatic.”

Many of the works have an overt connection to the body, like Isabel Yellin’s Gut Feeling (2021) or Nevine Mahmoud’s Untitled (2021). Mahmoud’s work in particular is striking for its erotic posturing of a marble female nude, drawing on imagery found throughout Mahmoud’s other works. But most interestingly is the rough, unfinished edges of the otherwise smooth and polished form; they provide a tactile sense of craftsmanship, giving evidence of the ever-working hands of the artist molding the work. This craftsmanship is seen again in the workman’s table upon which the statue rests, a coarse pedestal for a classical medium.

Still other works deal with the connection between body, mind, and art in a more tacit fashion. Amelia Lockwood’s excelsis (2021), a ceramic work, is a colorful altar, inviting visitors to approach and participate in its ritual nature. The work possesses a certain auspiciousness, with its visual similarities to a menorah and highly decorative patterns. It sits powerfully in the space and demands attention. Lockwood’s work relates that religion, similarly to art, can act as a bridge between mind and body.

Finally, we come to the works of Kristen Morgin – some of the last seen in the show. Morgin, unlike Mahmoud or Lockwood, draws firmly from contemporary culture. Her clay recreations of children’s books and old DVDs, like the items from Claes Oldenburg’s store, invite you to take the sensations of viewing art out of the gallery. What would happen – to our minds, our bodies, or even our souls – if we were to look at a real used copy of Mr. and Mrs. Smith with the same awe?

Various Small Fires
812 North Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90038
Thru July 16th, 2021