"Flouting both medium and convention, Lynda Benglis’s work transgresses boundaries while nevertheless speaking to central and long-running issues about art’s histories, materials, and contexts. Her work teaches us what sculpture is and can be, and she has entangled her appropriation of sculpture’s monumental scale with unlikely material liquidities, tactical superficialities, and graceful motilities."
Known for her fearless exploration of materials and her ability to push forms to their physical limits, Benglis continues to express her iconic style in this new body of work. The sculptures’ bold, dynamic forms evoke a kind of struggle with nature itself, a hallmark of Benglis’s artistic approach. Her art has always been defined by this tension between material and form, a constant search for the boundaries of creativity and expression. The artist’s choice to work in marble once again reflects her desire to continue the dialogue that began with her first exhibition at the gallery in 2016. This new series seeks to establish a sense of continuity and connection between her artistic language and the rich tradition of Italian Baroque art.
The most important Baroque poet, Cavalier Marino, wrote in the 17th century that the goal of the poet is to astonish the reader: “Del poeta il fin la meraviglia” ("The end of the poet is wonder"). This phrase perfectly captures the essence of Benglis’s work. In her sculptures, we witness a marvelous struggle—a clash of forces that results in awe-inspiring forms. Benglis continues to captivate, challenge, and surprise viewers with shapes, colors, and installations that are truly unique in the contemporary art panorama.
