Boston
Boston Sculptors Gallery
“Scrap!,” a recent exhibition by Boston artist Jessica Straus, was quirky and fun and full of surprises in its celebration of the inventive spirit. For this new series of works, Straus repurposed wooden clementine crates—thin plywood boxes printed with brightly colored graphics. She used packaging from the two most common brands, Darling and Bagu, cutting and mixing them into wall, floor, and pedestal sculptures. The gaily colored and patterned wood pieces were combined with found metal objects and salvaged parts. This work continues Straus’s exploration of small sculptures that meld intricate woodworking with found metal objects in imaginative configurations. Her technical skill with both metal and wood is evident in these well-crafted sculptures. There is always the touch of the artist’s hand, and one is struck by how much time and attention she pays to the details, but her inventiveness and creative play truly make this work intriguing and delightful… see the entire review in the print version of April’s Sculpture magazine.
