Distinguished artist Philip Grausman has long concentrated on finely sculpted heads that are amazing in their expressiveness. Some of his important work, including a selection of his drawings, is on display at the Lohin Geduld Gallery in Chelsea (February 9-March 11, 2006).
On entering the gallery one is immediately impressed by a huge head sculpted in fiberglass, measuring 10 feet x six feet x 81/2 feet. Of course, this piece requires a lot more space to enable one to stand away and fully appreciate its effectiveness. But its exhibition here affords an opportunity to examine it close-up. The work, “Susanna,” dates from 1996-1999.
As one walks into the next room, one is struck by a corridor lined with ten sculptures of various heads done in stainless steel and mounted on matching pedestals. The dramatic effect is akin to seeing a Roman or Greek collection in a similar row.
Grausman’s work in stainless steel is part of what attracted gallery owner Ro Lohin to deciding on an exhibition. She was captivated by his being able to get such results working in the medium, and the more she saw of it, the more she decided she would like to mount a Grausman show. There is much pleasure in studying the various expressions that he has achieved with his heads, all created with subtlety and delicacy.
Grausman is currently Critic of Architectural Drawing in the Graduate School of Architecture at Yale University. His work has been widely shown, and his sculpture has been presented in more than 30 museums and institutional collections. His most recent award is the Thomas R. Proctor Prize for Sculpture from the National Academy of Design.
The Lohin Geduld Gallery, at 531 West 25th Street (west of 10th Avenue), is in the heart of the burgeoning new gallery neighborhood, ranging from West 19th Street to 27th Street. “Soho has moved uptown,” Lohin observes, noting that there were now about 50 galleries on her street alone. For further information on the Grausman exhibition and the gallery, phone: 212-675-2656.