Roland Flexner's 2001 Bubble Drawings Paired with Edo Bronzes at Sargent's Daughters

From September 12 to October 11, 2015, the Sargent's Daughters gallery in New York City presented an exhibition featuring Roland Flexner's bubble ink drawings alongside bronze vases from the Edo period of Japan. Flexner's untitled pieces from 2001, each measuring 12¾ x 11½ inches, employ a modified sumi-e technique that incorporates ink, soap, and water, symbolizing the transient nature of existence. Curators Allegra LaViola and Meredith Rosen chose five bronze futabana vases intended for Buddhist floral arrangements. Flexner, born in France in 1944 and a New York City resident since 1981, delves into themes of vanitas. He began creating his bubble drawings in 1996 while engaging in play with his daughter, contrasting Western vanitas with Eastern notions of emptiness and encouraging philosophical reflection.