There was a party on Highland Friday night and it involved well-lit pussies and four foot spiders. Oddly enough this was not the David Bowie party (that was Saturday night) but the debut of legendary antiques dealer Joel Chen's foray into art exhibitions with Architectonic, featuring the works of two emerging artists he chose himself.
Yassi Mazandi and Michael Wilson filled JF Chen's massive concrete showroom with works of porcelain, clay and hard wood. Michael's hand-carved furniture seemed alive with undulating lines and organic shapes - including spider legs four feet across supporting a cocktail table. His work is masterful and desired.
However, the star of the show were the pieces of pottery and porcelain created by Yassi. Using a technique completely of her own imagining she sculpts and then carves vessels that at the same time seem ancient and pop. Vaguely Mayan in inspiration, they fracture the light that passes through their cut rims and jetting buttresses. When viewed from above the inspiration skips forward two thousand years to Star Wars and a laser-shooting interceptor. And when glazed in cotton candy pink and grouped together they evoke a classic mid-century set of hot rollers.
Her pieces are architectural in element yet so whimsical in spirit that they draw you in and beg to be used. Which brings me back to the pussies, or orchids if you are being less succinct. Sculpted from porcelain and wrapped elegantly in bronzed canoe-shaped bowls are a series of white orchids mimicking the folds and workings of the female anatomy. They are a sight to behold. This was definitely the most time I have ever spent examining that area and surely the only time you will see me photographed alongside a... orchid.
Architectonic
April 27 - May 22
JF Chen
941 N. Highland
323-466-9700
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