Sergei Isupov and Kadri Parnamets at Ferrin Gallery
Ceramic Artists Exhibit in Pittsfield
By: Charles Giuliano - Sep 12, 2008
Through October 4, the Ferrin Gallery at 437 North Street in Pittsfield, Mass. is showing a two person exhibition "Androgyny" by the Russian born artist, Sergei Isupov, and a selection of sculptures by the Estonian artist, Kadri Parnamets. There are nine collaborative pieces in this project.
This is the fourth exhibition by Isupov for the Ferrin Gallery. The artist emigrated to the United States in 1991 and the gallery first presented the work at SOFA Chicago in 1996. Over time the gallery has come to be the exclusive representative of this leading figurative, ceramic artist with an international reputation.
When Leslie Ferrin moved her gallery from Lenox to a space she purchased and developed in Pittsfield there was a change in her overview. The larger and more affordable space in Pittsfield has allowed for expanding her stable of artists and range of media. She is primarily viewed as an authority on ceramic arts. Gradually, she has added painting and photography to her program. Recently, she enjoyed great success with an exhibition of paintings by Maggie Mailer, a Berkshire resident, founder of Storefront Artists Project, and former employee of the gallery.
Similarly, the relationship between Ferrin and Isupov has evolved with time. Over the past couple of years Ferrin developed a large property and barn into a work/ living space in Cummington which is a short drive from Pittsfield. The large structure was subdivided and includes Isupov's living and work space. So they get to collaborate closely in developing, promoting, and marketing his work.
The current exhibition includes several, meticulously crafted, enigmatic heads, or busts, as they stand on a thin slice of shoulders. The heads, male and female, fitting the theme of the exhibition, are surreal and androgynous. Because of their exquisite, subtle surface, delicate color, intricate, and smoothly modeled texture they must be seen to be appreciated. Particularly, the over life size scale that gives them an eerie presence.
The feeling they convey is one of enigmatic emotion. The figures have plaintive expressions that evoke a feeling of long and silent suffering. They are world weary Kafkaesque characters repressed or restrained by unseen forces. There is little sense of joy on their sorrowful faces. Because the artist is Russian born we want to read into the work some elements of that heritage and culture. Although the artist is now an American citizen this work has an evocative, otherworldly sensibility. One would have to delve deeply into Russian art and culture to find the proper paradigms to relate to this body of work. In that sense, I have come to relate to this work over a thought provoking process of time. There has been resistance to the work because of the strangeness and archly romantic narrative element. Particularly because of not being familiar with the sources and inspiration.
The scale and presence of the works in the current exhibition have bridged the gap of communication. Where, in the past, the pieces seemed remote and esoteric now Isupov's cast of characters are more in our face and demanding of our involvement. There is no way to avoid their insistent presence.
The several large format heads are the beginning of a project for a 2009 solo exhibition at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center in Mesa Arizona. The several works in the current exhibition were produced during a three month residency at the International Ceramics Studio in Kecskemet, Hungary. When the series is completed there will be 20 pieces in the Mesa exhibition.
In the process of developing this series the artist experimented with different materials and glazes. There is a grouping of these studies which offer glimpses of how the sculptures might have followed a range of approaches.
The ceramic sculptures by Kadri Parnamets were produced during her recent summer long residence at Project Art in Cummington a pilot project for international artist residences in cooperation with Storefront Artist Project. In addition to her own work she and Isupov created nine collaborative pieces that combined her abstracted amoeba like forms and his figurative elements. Based on the successful outcome of this project we will anticipate more such residence programs in the future.