exhibitionOlivia Baxat large08.08—24.08.201893 Baker Street

An awareness of materials is crucial in pursuing any artistic endeavour. The capacity of the artist to resonate with their medium while grasping its true potential occurs through careful observation during which a full understanding of its chemical properties durability and texture proceeds. For the painter or the etcher the mental is translated into the physical realm predominately with the aid of utensils. The sculptor however relies less on this mediating process for it is the tactile his very own hand which possesses the knowledge to manipulate and assemble substance. It comes as no surprise that the greatest innovations in sculpture of the past century resulted from an increasing immediacy towards the generative process manifest through methods such as direct casting (Medardo Rosso) and carving (Constantin Brâncuşi) or the collection of novel unconventional materials for further assembly (Iza Genzken). Olivia Bax’s work is a distinct example of this aesthetic manu propria for Bax not only physically leaves the imprint of her hand her gestures on the surface of her sculptures but she also uses handles as a recurring motif (Hot Spot Boulder (with handle) and Pump). Her stand-alone pieces (Rumble and Roar) have a human scale as if they were based on her own height.