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New York, NY:
January 27, 2011...
In New York City's beloved
Central Park, people from all walks of
life come out to play on the grassy fields on any sunny day.
There is a bond amongst the strangers, an unspoken camaraderie, a shared
relaxation and also a shared excitement. One feels safe here
in this space, somehow shielded by an unseen force field of energy.
This seems to protect the group from any outside intrusions, and indeed
for a time from the challenges of their daily lives.
Balloons, food vendors, frisbees and kites all become part of the
spectacle of the protected space. Even planes passing
overhead, which in a different context could take on an ominous tone, become not
just neutral, but beautiful optical diversions, adding to the joyous mood of the
field.
In force field
photographer Ed Lederman exhibits a 44 foot print of Central Park, which
virtually surrounds visitors as they enter the gallery.
Lederman has spent the last nine months in Central Park shooting images
for what he hopes will become the ultimate photo book of Manhattan's most
beloved green space.
Kathleen Schneider's Petals and
Wings series, on view in force field, continues the sculptor's
engagement with locating gesture and motion (implied action, stopped-action) in
sculptures that are hand-made, discrete, and expansive. Each sculptural piece
embodies the characteristics of simultaneity by featuring "equal and opposing
actions happening at the same time". Each fluctuates, in
materials and meaning, between the recognizable and the abstract.
Schneider's Bouquets are
spherical clusters, 4' and 5' in diameter, that hang suspended from the
ceiling. They are "explosive" masses of color made of
multitudes of deconstructed artificial flowers (petals) sprouting from
structural cores. Bouquet I has knotted wire helicopters embedded in its
lush array. Bouquet II, densely packed with "petaled "wires spiraling
from a dark center, appears to be arrested in the activity of growing and
unraveling. Spanwing, Schneider's large wall
installation, is made up of a complex network of regular and irregular displays
of flower-patterned paper airplanes intertwined in a wing-like formation. It
shimmers and hovers against the wall. Up close the folded units come into focus
as F-35 fighter
planes.
The Petals and Wings
sculptures are intended to give pleasure. Brilliant colors and richly
articulated surfaces seduce the viewer to come close. A sinister twist, often
camouflaged into or under the tactile surfaces, contradicts the desire to
touch.
Ed
Lederman
Though they may not
have known it, people have been seeing Ed Lederman's photography for
years. His compelling photos have aided architectural
firms in presenting their visions of projects to leaders of industry.
Lederman has also been responsible for countless photographs used by
advertising agencies in their campaigns as well as by commercial and residential
brokers in the marketing of their properties.
Lederman has
made a 28-year career of shooting the gorgeous views, iconic architecture and
eclectic neighborhoods of New York City. His portraits and photos of New York
life have put a human face on many projects. Loyal clients including
Gotham, Solow, Manhattan Skyline, The Trump Organization, Glenwood, The Clarett
Group, The Moinian Group, Cushman and Wakefield, Newmark, Nancy Packes, Louise
Sunshine, all of whom have featured Lederman's photography in sales
offices, magazines and websites.
Lederman's most recent
projects include shooting all of the neighborhood, architectural and interior
photos for the Rockrose website redesign, which can be viewed at www.rockrose.com and on the Manhattan Skyline
website: http://www.manhattanskyline.com. Lederman's recent
work can also currently be seen at 452 Fifth Avenue, where a spectacular 360
degree panoramic view of the city from the building's rooftop is on
display in the lobby in the form of a 54 foot print. Lederman
also shot the photos for a book on Bryant Park for the same project. The photos
were commissioned by the building's new
owners.
Kathleen
Schneider
Schneider lives in
Winooski, VT and New York City, and makes her work in both places.
She is a Professor of Sculpture at the University of Vermont.
She received her Master of Fine Arts from the University of
Massachusetts. Solo and group exhibitions include: A.I.R. Gallery, New York;
Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton NJ; DeCordova Museum, Lincoln MA; Fleming
Museum, University of VT; Provincetown Museum and Art Center, Provincetown MA;
Tolbooth Art Center, Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 2B Gallery, Budapest, Hungary;
American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York; Collaborative site specific
sculpture in the Vermont landscape and the Burlington Waterfront. Fellowships
from Vermont Arts Council and several residencies at Yaddo, Saratoga, NY.
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