ONE FOR ALL | Nancy Lupo: Parent and Parroting

Mar 13 - Apr 10 2016

Nancy Lupo Chairset

Swiss Institute is pleased to present the first institutional solo exhibition in the United States of LA-based artist Nancy Lupo, who will present a new sculpture.

Lupo has created a loose structure from 28 racks meant for under-sink bathroom storage, which she configured into a “U” shaped structure where the 28 racks stand in for teeth in a closed human jaw. The racks have been encased in Magic-Sculpt and kitty litter, confusing the already ambiguous form of the shelf – at once decidedly overdetermined and utterly abstract. Across these racks, a drama of objects plays out in several acts that evolve from moments of ontological confusion and language play.

So this mouth, this orange grove, this shrub or bush or whatever that began at the very start of the catchall “holiday” season (also coincidentally citrus season), now feels in the post-Valentines world more like a cramped bodega or some kind of storage. That place where, when you go to grab your stress relieving herbal tea, you bump up against a cache of chocolate mints stockpiled for the reception desk. It might seem like a coincidence but of course these things are carefully coordinated, orchestrated, scripted. Meanwhile, it seems to have now all metabolized literally and elegantly into a classic potpourri. Perhaps it was there the whole time, but I’m really smelling it now.

Nancy Lupo: Parent and Parroting is the sixth exhibition in the ONE FOR ALL series at SI. Building on Swiss Institute’s long history of providing a platform for emerging artists, each show will be the artist’s first institutional solo exhibition in the United States, with a newly commissioned body of work specifically created for the exhibition space. Swiss Institute is grateful for support from the VIA Art Fund, Presenting Sponsor of the ONE FOR ALL series.

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Parent and Parroting, 2016

20 Bathroom Storage Rack White Under Sink Pedestal Towels Stand Modern Shelves, 5 Pedestal Storage Unit, 3 Under Pedestal Sink Storage, 28 white rental chairs, Magic-Sculpt, kitty litter (Fresh Step, Swheat Scoop), Cast Aluminum Water/Feed Dishes, Signature Housewares Dual Pet Bowl Stand (Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large), Alter Eco Organic Royal Black Quinoa, Magic-Smooth, twist ties, Nylabones (Chicken Leg, Turkey Leg, Galileo, Knobby Bone), cast aluminum Nylabones (Barbell, Dura Chew Souper Size, Knobby Bone), industrial paper towel roll, aluminum roof coating, various boutique citrus (blood orange, SUMO, Cara Cara, bergamot, clementine, mandarin, golden nugget tangerine, sultana, kumquat, grapefruit, pomelo, variegated Eureka lemon, etc.), Terry’s Chocolate Orange – Dark, Ovation Dark Chocolate Mint Filled Crème a La Menthe Break Apart Ball, cantaloupes (and then later, mini watermelons) in Swiss melon carriers, Tummy Tub (Glitter Pink), aluminum armature wire, red net citrus bag, Johnson & Johnson Reach Cleanburst Cinnamon Waxed Floss, millet spray, shredded newspaper, cast aluminum chicken bones, cast aluminum cinnamon stick, cast aluminum orange stick, cast aluminum SpudWare cutlery (knife, fork), orange sticks, star anise, orange peels, dried rose petals, Splat Ball Rocks, Watermelon Splat Ball, industrial sewing machine arms, Orbit Spearmint Chewing Gum, The Beebo (Orange, Aqua, Yellow), turned pine ball spindle, mint dental floss (Bianca, Colgate Total, Gore Travel Size Glide Floss, Johnson & Johnson Reach Mint Waxed, Johnson & Johnson Dentotape Ribbon Floss, LTV Reach Access, Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Comfort Plus, Oral-B Glide 3D White Whitening + Scope, Oral-B Complete Satin Tape, Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean, Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Original, Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Clinical Protection, Oral-B Essential Cavity Defense, Well at Walgreens, Well at Walgreens High-Tech, etc.), Angel Soft with Pretty Prints, REP Band Level 1, plastic GREENWARE cups, wheat pennies, change (dimes and nickels), Stressed Out Squeeze Stress Balls, beige extension cord, beige cable ties, 10-gallon ICE ONLY Rubbermaid Brute.

20 units: 25.5 x 19 x 18 inches each
5 units: 27 x 21.5 x 13 inches each
3 units: 25 x 21.5 x 13 inches each
28 rental chairs: dimensions variable

Courtesy the artist

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Nancy Lupo (b. 1983, Flagstaff, AZ) is an artist living and working in Los Angeles. Recent exhibitions include: The Third Badger, 1857, Oslo, Norway (2015); Not S.A.D., Wallspace, New York, NY (2015); Taster’s Choice – curated by Christopher Y. Lew, MOMA PS1, New York, NY (2014) and Old Zoo Food, LA><ART, Los Angeles, CA (2014).

SWISS INSTITUTE PROGRAMMING IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART WITH PUBLIC FUNDS FROM PRO HELVETIA, SWISS ARTS COUNCIL, THE NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS, WITH THE SUPPORT OF GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO AND THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE, AND THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. MAIN SPONSORS INCLUDE LUMA FOUNDATION, THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS, AND FRIENDS OF SWISS INSTITUTE (FOSI), LEADING PARTNERS INCLUDE UBS AND VICTORINOX. SWISS INSTITUTE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES SWISS AS TRAVEL PARTNER. SWISS INSTITUTE IS GRATEFUL TO VIA ART FUND, PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE ONE FOR ALL SERIES.

Media Contact: Dan Tanzilli / Peter Kaiser, Third Eye
dan@hellothirdeye.com / peter@hellothirdeye.com, +1 646-593-8713