Kathleen Ryan Creates Large-Scale Sculptures of Decaying Food Using Semiprecious Stones
Artist Kathleen Ryan produces monumental sculptures depicting rotting food items, employing beads and semiprecious stones to simulate mold and decay. Her works, such as 'Bad Lemon (Slice of Paradise)' from 2024 and 'Screwdriver' from 2023, feature materials like serpentine, prehnite, azurite, amazonite, aquamarine, jasper, dolomite, fuchsite, pyrite, turquoise, labradorite, agate, and marble, combined with salvaged metal components from vintage automobiles. These pieces explore themes of luxury, consumption, and economic vulnerability through their references to cocktails and vacation imagery. Ryan draws inspiration from the diverse appearances of fungal growths and compares her oversized creations to roadside tourist attractions. Some of her artworks were recently displayed at Karma gallery in New York. The sculptures contrast external metallic surfaces with intricate, jeweled interiors, evoking both geological beauty and organic decomposition.
Key facts
- Kathleen Ryan creates oversized sculptures of decaying food
- She uses beads and semiprecious stones to represent mold and rot
- Materials include various stones and salvaged metal from vintage cars
- Notable works include 'Bad Lemon (Slice of Paradise)' (2024) and 'Screwdriver' (2023)
- The sculptures reference cocktails, luxury, and economic concerns
- Her works were recently exhibited at Karma in New York
- Ryan compares her large-scale pieces to roadside tourist attractions
- The artworks juxtapose metallic exteriors with detailed jeweled interiors
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Karma
Locations
- New York