Five Myles hosted a show in fall 2023 which included an artist talk.
From FiveMyles:
Rudolph Serra experiments with sculptural forms, shapes, lines, and volumes in this recent group of carved, white sculptural wall reliefs. Encountering these curling, swirling contours in space is like unearthing the perfect rock or the ideal seashell. Serra’s surface-mounted frieze read as script -- a secret language – left to right or right to left. His combination of concave, convex, spherical, elliptical, and rounded forms cohere to create symbolic characters — asemic writing — that have no specific content. Serra leaves the work gracefully unmarked. “I’m not giving directions; I’m providing a place to ponder, to find enjoyment.” The accompanying prints in “Out in the Open” echo the artist’s sculpture. In each dynamic unique print, Serra creates a dramatic "push and pull" of shapes by switching white for black, foreground for background and positive for negative forms.
Artist Statement:
“Curling, Swirling Contours in Space”
Rudolph Serra graduated with an MFA degree in sculpture, from the University of California, Berkeley, where is studied with eminent West Coast artists. Soon after being included in the Whitney Biennial, he decided to move to New York City. He works in a studio in Soho, dividing his time between between Sag Harbor and New York.
Near the ocean where Serra grew up in San Francisco, the fluctuating weather’s imprint on the long stretch of nearby beach left an early impression. He watched the beach being continually transformed from a large, horizontal plane to high dunes, to deep tidal pools carved by the back-wash of rip currents. Rudolph Serra was also influenced by a trip to Spain - - by the scrip-like curving shapes, domes and large soaring arches of traditional Muslim architecture. Serra began to develop his work beyond the straight lines and right angles dominant in Western Art
Unencumbered by grids or coloration, Serra’s sculptural wall reliefs are pure shapes. Encountering them is like finding the perfect rock, the ideal seashell. They are script-like gestures — curling, swirling contours in space. A name exists to describe them — asemic writing — writing with no specific content.
The accompanying prints in this exhibition mirror Rudolph Serra’s white wall reliefs. In each print, Serra creates a dynamic push and pull of shapes by switching white for black, foreground for background and positive for negative forms.
With incredible invention and considerable skill, Serra offers the viewer a place to ponder and enjoy. “When we choose to be an artist, we take the power to put something into the world. I want to put beauty there.”
Awards Include: American Academy of Arts and Letters, Pollock
Krasner Grant, and three National Endowment for
the Arts Grants
Exhibition include: Whitney Museum, The San Francisco Museum of
Modern Art, The Oakland Museum of California,
Berkeley Art Museum, San Francisco Art Institute,
Queens Museum, and Nassau County Museum of
Art
RUDOLPH SERRA: CURLING, SWIRLING CONTOURS IN SPACE
1 - 14 JULY 2022
Press Release:
To quote Plato “our need will be the real creator”. Traditionally for over two decades, Rudolph Serra has pursued his works in clay and terra cotta. When “COVID hit, and I couldn’t get clay”, necessity being the mother of invention culminates in a solo show of pure white three-dimensional sculptural forms and gestural drawings on paper titled, Curling, Swirling Contours in Space, at MARK BORGHI, Sag Harbor, July 1st through July 14th. By engaging with the material typically associated with crafting, carved surfboard foam finished with water-based fiberglass, Serra’s approach to art-making can be described as the transformation of unconventional materials into organic, animated forms whose movement is temporarily suspended in time. Although these pieces may appear to be rough, raw, and harsh, they are also calm, beautiful, and overflowing with details that are a delight to the eye.
“Growing up in San Francisco near the ocean, early impressions were made by the harsh weather’s impact on the long stretch of beach nearby. Always in flux, nature left its strong, calming, soothing imprint. The beach would change from a large, horizontal plane to high dunes, to deep tidal pools carved by the backwash of rip currents.” Serra also was influenced by “the sculptures of our neighbor two doors away Mark di Suvero and later those of my older brother Richard Serra. Their sculptures seemed to be built with a kind of dynamic, architectural presence. This offered a language for me to use to construct forms.”
Experimenting with shapes, lines, and volumes, Serra’s objects can be seen as three-dimensional drawings. Serra’s wall-mounted reliefs combine gestural folds, crevices, ravines, and gauges, which transform into a form of asemic writing— “writing that has no specific content,” Serra explains, “like a gesture. I just want the pure shapes: the perfect rock, the nice seashell. When you’re looking at it, asemic writing lets you get lost in your imagination, and I hope you have a nice journey there.” For that reason, Serra decided to leave the work gracefully unmarked. “I’m not giving directions; I’m providing a place to ponder, to find enjoyment,” he says. “When we choose to be an artist, we take the power to put something into the world: I want to put beauty there.”
Today, Rudolph Serra splits his time between his studio on Greene St in lower Manhattan, the quiet village of Sag Harbor, and wave riding in Montauk.
May 11 - July 6, 2016. New York, NY.
To view a pdf of the exhibition release, click here.
From the exhibition release: "Rudolph Serra’s approach to art making might be described as the transformation of the earthly material of clay into organic, animated forms whose movement is temporarily suspended. “Growing up in San Francisco near the ocean, early impressions were made by the harsh weather’s impact on the long stretch of beach nearby. The beach would change from a large, horizontal plain to high dunes, to deep tidal pools carved by the back wash of rip currents.” By engaging with the material usually associated with craft, Serra returns clay to its purest form. Oxygen-reduction firing at extremely high temperatures results in sculptures that are varied in color because the inherent qualities of the clay body are pulled to the surface of each sculpture. The artist’s processes of forming and firing the clay lead to constant experimentation with shapes, lines and volumes. Serra’s objects can be seen as three-dimensional drawings. Their folds and contours of rough and smooth surfaces correspond to ongoing transformations in our natural landscapes."
To view the exhibition catalog, click here.
To view the exhibition on Artsy, click here.
STATEMENT
EARLY IMPRESSIONS California — its landscape is like no other. Growing up in San Francisco near the ocean, early impressions were made by the harsh weather’s impact on the long stretch of beach nearby. Always in flux, nature left its strong, calming, soothing imprint. The beach would change from a large, horizontal plane to high dunes, to deep tidal pools carved by the backwash of rip currents. Mountains — rugged and steep, separated by long, wide valleys carved by earthquake faults, existed here differently than in any other place on earth. Deserts — barren, harsh, and nearly lifeless, yet incredibly beautiful, became a backdrop before which I realized both the significance and insignificance of my existence.
ARTIST INFLUENCES
During my early, formative years, the sculptures of our neighbor two doors away — Mark de Suvero — and later those of my older brother — Richard Serra — were impressive, and easy to mimic and emulate. Their sculptures seemed to be built with a kind of dynamic, architectural presence. This offered a language for me to use to construct forms. Yet later, Peter Voulkos was the most influential artist that I would encounter. While I was a graduate student at UCBerkeley, I witnessed Voulkos’ assault on what was then the field of ceramics and pottery. This made a great impression on me. Without question, Voulkos was the best artist, and worst teacher, that I had ever met. Although his work was dependent upon cylindrical forms derived from throwing clay on a potter’s wheel, Voulkos” assertiveness and aggressiveness toward the clay surface and texture was raw, fresh, and seemingly free, This freedom reflected the work of other artists of his generation — the abstract expressionists.
WHY CLAY?
Early in my career, it seemed to me that each material and method of construction, had its constrictions. Welding, as an example, seemed to lead to a putting together of parts into a compositional whole, while casting dictated the replication of a form. Carving prescribed working in a subtractive mode, and a potter’s wheel mandated a cylindrical form. I wanted to find a way to shape, form, and “draw” without a preset of confines. Malleable materials, which I began to work with — plaster, concrete, and asphalt seemed to have more potential. I returned to clay. But I wanted nothing to do with the traditional history of clay: cylindrical forms, glossy glazed surfaces, or sculpted images.
WORKS IN THE CURRENT EXHIBITION
These terra cotta reliefs are the direct outcome — the residue and evidence — of the processes that the clay has been subjected to. They also are, in a sense, three-dimensional drawings. My intention is that the viewer first sees each object’s parameter, and then follows the “drawing” of the gestural folds, edges, crevices, ravines, and gouges that make up the curving contours of each work. The surface coloring, caused by firing the clay at extreme high temperature oxygen-reduction, almost appears to be airbrushed. It is the result of the clay body’s inherent qualities that have been drawn to the surface from within. Although they may appear rough, raw and harsh, the sculptures emit a sense of serenity. They are closer to the shapes and textures of the natural landscape than they are to any western historical works of art.
“From a block of clay, forms have become organic and alive”
May 19 - June 12, 2016
To view the exhibition release, click here.
From the exhibition release: "The American Academy of Arts and Letters is pleased to announce its exhibition of paintings, works on paper, video, photographs; architectural models and renderings; and original manuscripts by newly elected members and recipients of honors and awards."
Exhibition Award: Rudolph Serra, Art Purchase Award for Sculpture, Bottom Turn, 2015
March 10 - April 10 New York, NY.
To view a pdf of the exhibition release, click here.
From the press release: "February 1, 2016, Paintings, scupltures, photographs, and works on paper by 37 contemporary artists will be examined in the galleries of the American Academy of Arts and Letters on historic Audubon Terrace.... Exhibiting artists were chosen from a pool of nearly 200 nominees submitted by the members of the Academy, America's most prestigious honorary society of architects, artists, writers, and composers."
Exhibition Award: Rudolph Serra, Art purchase award for sculpture.
To view a pdf of the awards release, click here.
Spring 2013
From a press article on the exhibition: "Rudolph Serra has been working in ceramics for more than three decades and during that time he has consistently asked the question, 'What does clay have to offer to the creative experience?' In the 1970's Serra studied at San Francisco State with Stephan De Stabler, and at university of California at Berkeley with Peter Voulkos. Since then he has been making high-fired terracotta sculptures that seek to find non-utilitarian forms. By asking of clay how it folds, splashes, gouges, cuts, wrinkles, cracks, burnishes, etc. he reveals its sculptural form. Serra's work is in numerous collections and he has been honored with a number of awards including the Pollock Krasner Grant and the National Endowment for the Arts Grant."
To view a pdf of the article, click here.
