Making this work has really been about listening to the driftwood. I try to respect the idiosyncrasies that originally drew me to each stick, while also trying to dig out a self-imposed or transmitted mystery.
- James Cherry
Listening is a collection of driftwood carvings alongside his buoyant lamps, creating a juxtaposition of light and earthly materials that become innate symbols of the human experience.
This solo exhibit tells the stories of driftwood Cherry has found along Highway 1 since he moved to the West Coast four years ago. The show is an organic amalgamation of representations of friends, relationships, and loneliness, each embedded in the wood.
Bending both physical elements and light to his will Listening also features a collection of the lamps that Cherry has become widely known for. Cherry’s lamps, which have garnered attention from art and design collectors, are made of complex manipulations and recycled materials. With each piece exhibited in Listening, Cherry strikes a balance between the pristinely refined and delicately handmade - fragility and strength side by side. The lamps illuminate the driftwood sculptures and, in turn, the sculptures ground the lamps, drawing the light and the eye.
Select works remain on view in the gallery.
