San Francisco artist, TOR ARCHER, exhibits Natural Figuration a new series of welded metal sculptures at Scott Richards Contemporary Art during the month of March. An opening reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, March 2, 5:00 – 7:00 pm. The exhibition continues through April 1.
Presenting a new series of iconic female forms, Archer concentrates on the vibrancy of colors found in the natural world. The sculptures reveal richly patinated surfaces of bronze, deep green or golden hues. While some are hollow and airy as birds’ nests, others incorporate delicate metalwork encasing marble figures carved by the artist during a recent residency at the Danang Sculpture Foundation in Danang, Vietnam.
Archer’s sculptures offer a contemporary view of the archetypal Venus/Madonna and suggest objects of reverence, such as Egyptian sarcophagi and the goddess figurines familiar to us from prehistoric archeological sites. Yet his reverence for nature comes clear through the use of primary visual elements: pine tree needles, broken branches, leaves, eroded rocks. The structures emerge from rough materials, yet embody lightness and elegance by contrasting the meticulous finished forms with the mundane components used to create them.
As Archer states in Artworks Magazine, “The skeletons are almost like scaffolding. I see it as holding together, not trapping within. I see it as support.” (Spring, 2008). Playing fragility against strength, Archer’s sculptures tap into our universal humanity, showing us how it endures despite the passing of time, seasonal weather changes and the transitory nature of civilization.
Born in Massachusetts, Tor Archer grew up in Santa Barbara and has lived in San Francisco for many years. In 2016 artist completed a residency at Artist in residence: The Mường Cultural Museum, Hoa Binh, Hanoi and the Danang Sculpture Foundation in Vietnam. He is a three-time nominee for the prestigious SECA award, and has exhibited widely on the West Coast. He received his BA degree from UC Santa Cruz and his MFA degree from Boston University.
For more information on the exhibition please contact: Alina Richards.
