Sullivan Goss is pleased to announce, Equipoise, the fifth solo show for sculptor Ken Bortolazzo.

Working with stainless steel, Bortolazzo has taken a marked departure from his past work, which focused largely on Optikinetics and geo-puzzle forms. Where previously the aesthetic of his sculptures worked from the angularity of planes and panels of steel, he has now softened his edges and angles to create lyrical, biomorphic, and linear works. One work looks like birds in a skein, cruising deftly through the sky. Another appears as a flower in full bloom, gently blowing in an afternoon breeze. However, the strength of Bortolazzo’s past work remains in these new, more delicate forms. The sturdiness of steel in combination with the weight of the stands equipoise the lightness of the organic shapes on top.

Bortolazzo has evolved from an earlier fascination with puzzles and interlocking shapes into a more fluid and dynamic experience. He plays with the idea of a balancing act--how to create solid steel that flows through space and gives the illusion of a feather on air; being a part of the surroundings rather than cutting through it. A geometric stabile becomes a solid unit that appears to defy gravity and its own elemental qualities as it perches rather than leans upon any given surface.

The relationship between object and nature seems to blossom in this body of work. Strong steel moves effortlessly in Bortolazzo’s newer, more organic forms. These man-made works of art recall something natural, something of the earth. The juxtaposition of hard steel and organic imagery results in a visually provocative experience.

Ken Bortolazzo’s work resides in many major collections both public and private including the Microsoft campus in Seattle, Washington, the Museum of Outdoor Art, Denver, Colorado and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art to name a few.

JULY 5 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Opening Reception: 1st Thursday, July 5, 2012, from 5 – 8 pm     

http://www.sullivangoss.com/Exhibits/SGTV_KENBORTOLAZZO

Also on view: Sidney Gordin: Just Put it Together and The American Impressionists: Selected Work from 1880-1920 through September 2, 2012, Joseph Goldyne: Waterfalls and Anders Aldrin: The Red Line through July 1, 2012, and The Spring Salon through August 30, 2012.

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