Postponing the Heat Death of the Universe pt.2
Alex SchechterDimensions: 22 x 30 x 25 inches
Medium: 2x4s, steel, spraypaint, melemine coated hardboard, plywood, LEDs, Artificial plants, houseplants, MDF, Plasti-Dip, Acrylic
Description:
In response to the idea of building site specific work for a house, I was interested in thinking about the detritus used in construction. This piece is an interpretation of an ecosystem of remnants, an intervention to give new life to materials that are regularly discarded during the processes of supporting the places we take for granted. When something disappears, where does it go? What is the body without a spirit? I'm very interested in this relationship between death/technology/the ghost in the machine, etc. I feel this dovetails with the arbitrariness of what we decide is nature/ placing humanity on a pedestal.
About the Artist:
J. Alex Schechter (b. 1988, Moose, WY) is a sculptor based out of Philadelphia, PA. Alex’s work traffics heavily in material symbolism making sculptures which combine traditional woodworking methods, digital fabrication and found objects with video and animation to explore the myths of the Manifest Destiny and the Wild West. He makes physical objects that embody a deep ambivalence around familial history and a personal attraction to and rejection of American mythology. Alex holds a BA in Religious studies from Grinnell College and an MFA in Sculpture from The Maryland Institute College of Art. He has shown both Nationally and Internationally, including group shows in New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Karachi, Pakistan, and solo shows in Baltimore and New Orleans. He has given talks and performances at the Walters Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art and has created installations for The National Museum of Wildlife Art, The Atlanta Beltline, and Mildred’s Lane. Schechter is an adjunct faculty at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art.
J. Alex Schechter (b. 1988, Moose, WY) is a sculptor based out of Philadelphia, PA. Alex’s work traffics heavily in material symbolism making sculptures which combine traditional woodworking methods, digital fabrication and found objects with video and animation to explore the myths of the Manifest Destiny and the Wild West. He makes physical objects that embody a deep ambivalence around familial history and a personal attraction to and rejection of American mythology. Alex holds a BA in Religious studies from Grinnell College and an MFA in Sculpture from The Maryland Institute College of Art. He has shown both Nationally and Internationally, including group shows in New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Karachi, Pakistan, and solo shows in Baltimore and New Orleans. He has given talks and performances at the Walters Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art and has created installations for The National Museum of Wildlife Art, The Atlanta Beltline, and Mildred’s Lane. Schechter is an adjunct faculty at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art.