During February and March the GEORGE ADAMS GALLERY presents an exhibition of new work by LESLEY DILL. The exhibition, Paper & Bronze, consists of large and small-scale figurative sculptures in cast bronze, sculpted paper, as well drawings in charcoal and collage. Included in the exhibition are two large unique bronze figures, eight small unique bronze sculptures, four small paper sculptures, one large-scale and two small-scale drawings. The work incorporates language taken from Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Salvador Espriu, and Franz Kafka. Accompanying these works is the film version of Dill’s opera, “Divide Light,” which combines the language of Emily Dickinson with music, costume and video projection.
The two largest sculptures, both unique casts, are “Rapture” and “Faith” from 2010. “Rapture” is a nearly six foot high perforated bronze figure of a woman in a billowing dress, a bird perched on her head and the words “raptures“ and “germination,” spelled out in bronze letters extending up from each arm. “Faith” is a darkly-patinaed male figure that is mounted on the wall and posed as if about to leap into the air. On his chest appears, in contrasting, polished letters a phrase taken from Kafka, “Was he an animal that music had such an effect on him?”
The large works are complemented by a series of smaller – 13 to 18 inches high – unique cast bronze figures made in 2009 and 2010. Among them “Ecstasy,” and “Every Utterance” mount directly on the wall, while others rest on pedestals or, like “Spit Bite,” hang from the ceiling. In various ways music is the source of inspiration behind many of the works in the exhibition, especially the seated figures, posed as if in full voice, which were inspired by the chorus that performed in “Divide Light.”
Sculptures in paper include, “I Envy Light,” 2010, a three foot high black figure surrounded by an aura of leaves whose three dimensional body opens on hinges, and “Slender Silence,” 2010, a white figure 18 inches tall formed completely out of hand cut paper letters.
Accompanying the three-dimensional works is a series of large (7 feet tall) and small (30x22 inches) charcoal based works on paper incorporating figures, words and collaged elements.
Checklist
In the Main Gallery
1.
Rapture (dress figure with bird), 2010
Bronze
72 x 66 x 46 inches
unique
LDs 279
Language: “Rapture’s Germination” –Emily Dickinson
2.
Faith, 2010
Bronze
60 x 26 x 18 inches
unique
LDs 287
Language: “Was he an animal that music had such an effect on him?” - Franz Kafka
3.
Rapture’s Germination (figure with two frogs), 2009
bronze
figure: 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 x 1; frogs: 5 x 5 x 1 and 5 1/2 x 4 3/4 x 1 inches
unique
LDs 274
Language: Emily Dickinson
4.
The Joy, 2010
Red hand dyed mulberry paper, steel
14 ½ x 9 ½ x 11 inches
unique
LDs 286
Language: "The joy of life streamed with such ardent passion from his throat" - Franz Kafka
5.
Intoxicate, 2010
Mulberry paper, brown paper, steel
15 ¾ x 16 x 12 inches
unique
LDs 284
Language: Intoxicate Rapture Rupture Folly Dazzle Exhilarate Madness - Charles Dickens
6.
You May Laugh, 2010
Mulberry paper, steel
14 x 12 x 9 ½ inches
unique
LDs283
Language: "You may laugh but I feel within me suddenly strange voices" - Salvador Espriu
7.
Seated Man with Star, 2009
Bronze, gold paint, steel
22 x 6 ½ x 7 ½ inches
unique
LDs 268
Language: “The wish for an unthinking restless solitude” - Franz Kafka
8.
Spit Bite, 2009
Bronze
21 x 11 x 10 inches
unique
LDs 272
Language: a printmaking term; acid on brush painted directly on plate.
9.
Jubilation, 2010
Oil pastel, thread on Tyvek
78 ½ x 88 inches
LDs 217
Language: Lesley Dill
In the Drawing Gallery
10.
Seated Man with Word Ruff, 2009
Bronze
13 x 17 x 9 inches
unique
LDs 282
Language: “The man with a voice that seems to come from a hole in the ground” – Franz Kafka
11.
Ecstasy, 2009
Bronze, gold paint
14 x 12 x 4 inches
unique
LDs 270
Language: Lesley Dill
12.
I Envy Light, 2010
Paper, black gesso metal foil and wire
34 x 21 x 3 inches
unique
LDs 280
Language: Emily Dickinson
13.
I Envy Light 2009
Bronze
12 ½ x 7 ½ x 9 inches
unique
LDs 269
Language: Emily Dickinson
14.
Every Utterance, 2009
Bronze, gold leaf and gold paint
17 ½ x 13 x 8 inches
unique
LDs 265
Language: “Every utterance opens silence.” - Emily Dickinson
15.
Breath, 2009
Bronze
8 x 5 x 4 ½ inches
unique variants (10 intended)
LDs 267
Language: Lesley Dill
16.
Nimbus, 2010
Charcoal, color pencil, foil on paper
38 x 25 inches
LDd 212
Language: “Nimbus of anger fountain of speech.” – Tom Sleigh
17.
Dazzle, 2009
Bronze
8 x 3 ¼ x 3
unique
LDs 264
Language: Lesley Dill
In the Window
Rapture’s Germination, 2010
Charcoal, color pencil on paper
64 x 49 inches
LDd 220
Language: Emily Dickinson
