Danese/Corey is pleased to present Films Without Light, an exhibition of sculpture by Juan Fontanive.
Fontanive’s work combines his interest in mechanics and automation with his fascination for insect life and birds. His stainless steel miniature “theaters,” each of which measures 5 x 4.25 x 3.75 inches, are meticulously hand-tooled and consist of 72 images, screen-printed from his original paintings onto archival cardstock. Set in motion to the beat of the wings of birds, butterflies, and moths, the dancing, flitting images mimic the gentle hum and movement of these closely observed, ephemeral creatures as if in continual “flight.”
As Mr. Fontanive states, “There is no motion in the moving image, it is made of still frames shown in succession. So motion as a medium in animation does not actually exist. This is what interests me: the illusion. Often, my subject matter has to do with exposing this deception, while at the same time retaining the illusion intact.”
Juan Fontanive holds a BA from Syracuse University and an MFA from the Royal College of Art in London. He was the 2010 recipient of the Jerwood Painting Prize. His studio is located in Bushwick, New York.
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