Curated by Quinn Whitman ('23)

Handmade: Sculpture from Wake Forest Art Collections connects seemingly disparate objects through various three-dimensional mediums. This exhibition features works across Wake Forest’s nine different collections which were collectively executed over several decades. With a shortage of dedicated space to display art on campus, this exhibition is a way to showcase some of the most unique and thought-provoking works here at Wake Forest.

Simultaneously, this exhibition also demonstrates the craft of several of Wake Forest’s student artists and places their works in dialogue with highly regarded pieces by both local and world-renowned blue-chip artists. By placing these works in a location that is highly accessible to the Wake Forest community, this exhibition aims to foster and grow the appreciation of visual art on Wake Forest’s campus.

Kiki Smith, American (born 1954)

Mouth demonstrates Kiki Smith’s (born 1954) study of the abject ideas of the human body. Smith creates a psychologically charged sculpture of a cast of her own mouth that straddles boundaries between human body parts and objectification. Mouth demonstrates Smith’s skill at crafting a response of discomfort out of her viewers. This piece challenges and intrigues viewers by enabling them to look at an object that twists and challenges typical notions of what the human body should look like. As a world-renowned artist, Smith is considered one of the masters of the abject, and she brings a unique global angle to this exhibition while simultaneously crafting art historical dialogues about the human body with works by local artists and Wake Forest alumni.

© Copyright retained by artist or artist’s representative.

Maud Gatewood, American (1934-2004)

Maud Gatewood was a multi-media artist based out of Caswell County, North Carolina. She is considered to be one of North Carolina’s most acclaimed artists. Untitled is an abject sculpture of a head, which, like Kiki Smith’s Mouth, draws comparisons between real-life ideas and objectified forms of the human body. Much like Smith’s works, Gatewood aims to create a challenging and somewhat uncomfortable viewing experience for the viewer. Untitled allows viewers to have some familiarity with the subject matter whilst also prompting viewers to question the work in front of them. Placed alongside works by Smith and Wake Forest alumni, Gatewood’s Untitled allows viewers to think about how the abject manifests itself amongst different groups of artists.

© Copyright retained by artist or artist’s representative.

Rita McBride, American (born 1960)

Rita McBride’s (born 1960) Added Window Space is one of her many works which hybridizes sculpture and built architectural environments. The industrial nature of this work, especially when placed next to Josie Butler’s Closed, prompts viewers to think about Winston-Salem as a post-industrial city. Added Window Space prompts viewers to think about the transition of spaces over a period of time, and what happens after a building is no longer used for its original purpose.

© Copyright retained by artists or artists' representative.

Kelsey Zalimeni '14

Kelsey Zalimeni’s (’14) #causeyouragoodgirlandyouknowit is a piece which explores the role which social media platforms, selfies and personal memories play in everyday life. Zalimeni made this piece in 2014, which was nearly two years after she had quit social media cold-turkey. Even though she no longer was active on social media, Zalimeni felt that habits that she had developed through years on social media had persisted. “The irony was though, after quitting socials and journaling my way through withdrawal: my photo-taking habits remained fully intact. If anything they may have grown stronger,” Zalimeni said. “I kept taking the kissy selfies, kept on with the mirror pics, and paused during parties to pose with friends. I realised my drive stemmed from a desire to record memories and capture my youth, which is natural. The function had changed from public posts and showiness to private posterity.”

© Copyright retained by artist.

To see Handmade: Sculpture from Wake Forest Art Collections in person, visit ZSR Special Collections on ZSR Library's 6th floor, any time between 10am - 4pm Monday through Friday.

Handmade was curated by Quinn Whitman ('23).