New York
Bradley Wester, best known as a painter and printmaker, has pushed his two-dimensional works into three dimensions, making sculpture out of what might have originally been paintings. A New Orleans native, he celebrates the city’s famed Mardi Gras and glitzy nightlife with works incorporating disco balls and glitter. For Wester, who lived for a long time in New York and now resides in Bristol, Rhode Island, this exhibition paid homage, not only to the glamor of New Orleans, but also to his memories of the gay community there. In these works, Wester moves from the canvas and board on which he has painted and collaged materials for the past few years to custom-made Mylar reflective pegboard that works as a mirrored surface, along with brightly colored tape, pipe cleaners, disco balls of all sizes, tube lights, leather, chains, and a variety of shiny materials. The shift to exotic and clamorous hybrid constructions shows his playful side. Wester’s early career was in performance, and the works in “DISCOurse#2” reflect this. These pieces not only entertain, they also ask for interaction, as the viewer takes in the entirety and then the many small bits and pieces, including toys, whistles, and ribbons that bring to mind personal experiences. …see the entire review in the print version of December’s Sculpture magazine.
