The renovation and expansion of the SculptureCenter in Long Island City is to be completed in early October, but has stayed open to the public through its reconstruction this summer with three exhibitions: “Ransom Room” by Liz Glynn, “Foundation” by Katrín Sigurdardóttir, and “Now Showing” by Jory Rabinovitz. On Monday, the Sculpture Center celebrated the season with “Hosted By,” a summer social event. As a special closing reception for the three exhibitions, nearly 30 hosts came together for an evening of music, art, and refreshments. Among the hosts were Mary Ceruti, Molly Epstein, Julie Baumgardner, and Whitewall‘s own Katy Donoghue. Glynn’s work originates from the distorted, historical narrative of Inca emperor Atahualpa when he was captured and held captive by the Spanish Conquistadors. For his freedom, he offered the Spanish a room full of gold and silver, which Glynn recreated via red sculpture wax painted in gold. By the end of the exhibition, the L.A.-based artist will melt all of the wax replicas of gold items into ingots, a process that was also done to the real artifacts. “Ransom Room” explores the relationship between the stories that material items have and how that reflects politics and power dynamics. Sigurdardóttir’s piece, Foundation, also pulls from historical inspiration. In her work, the Icelandic artist combines the functionality of the building part to the decorative element of Baroque art. It conveys a paradoxical idea of a floor that moves from building to building reflecting how historical artifacts are removed out of their original elements. Local artist Rabinovitz’s work melds itself into the building’s restroom. Its connecting of the restrooms to the rest of the building. Its title, “Non Olet,” means “money doesn’t stink,” and references the Roman emperor Vespian’s “Urine Tax.” Initially designed by Maya Lin, the current renovation and addition is designed by Andrew Berman, who was also responsible for the New York Public Library and MoMA PS1. Berman redesigned the former trolly repair facility to be transformative in every aspect. From the staircase to the entranceway to the reception desk, any part of the new gallery can be used as space for an artist to mold into or create. The newly renovated and expanded SculptureCenter facility in Long Island City, NY, will reopen on October 5, 2014.
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