SASHA MERET - The Plastic Menagerie

SASHA MERET

My recent work has evolved in the space of sculptural constructions using polystyrene cutlery as modules to reconstruct familiar objects, and later to create intriguing and thought provoking new shapes that defy any familiar category. I take refuge in "The Plastic Menagerie" that I have created seeking at the same time harmony and surprise. A quote from Schopenhauer sums up my intentions in this series of works: "...here we contemplate perfection of form without any kind of worldly agenda, and thus any intrusion of utility or politics would ruin the point of the beauty". Sasha Meret was born in Petrosani, Romania in 1955. He started to study art at an early age, and earned a BA in 1974, and an MA in 1979. After his arrival in New York (1987), he studied printmaking with Tony Harrison at Columbia University. He currently lives and works in New York City, and he had exhibits in Europe, Japan, China and the U.S. His work encompasses a wide range of techniques and styles. He combines painting, drawing, photography, digital imaging with printmaking techniques like: intaglio, woodcut, aquatint, mono-type, and works in a variety of styles, from representational to abstract. His imagery reflects his spiritual explorations, blending European, African, Asian, and esoteric symbolism in a highly personal visual language. He alternates figuration with abstraction in search for a balance between ideas and emotions. The latest development in his work developed a more conceptual component materialized in sculptures and large scale objects. Incorporating movement as another dimension it materialized into a strong video-art portfolio, that closing the circle becomes a source of inspiration for new paintings. For over 20 years he collaborated as a weekly illustrator for "The New York Times", "International Herald Tribune", "Washington Post", etc. and have illustrated several books for "Simon and Schuster", "Harper Collins" "Henry Holt" and other publishing houses. His work is part of many collections, such as: Pfizer, Sony Corporation, Joyce-Gilmore Mertz Foundation, Art Lin YuNu Foundation, Rafael Collection, Pall Corporation, Romanian Cultural Foundation, Queens Museum, Carcassonne Museum, Craiova Museum and other corporate and private collections. Among others he was awarded in 2002, the Printmaking Prize by the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia and in 2003 the First Prize for best illustrated book awarded by the Romanian Editors Association. In 2005 he was invited as Guest Artist by the Government of Pintung Province in Taiwan for the Peninsula Arts Festival. In 2010 he received the Award for Excellence in Arts given by the publishing house Scrisul Romanesc,