Alix Vernet Captures Changing New York through Art
Alix Vernet Captures Changing New York through Art
- Alix Vernet’s Exhibition: “Street Casts” displays Alix Vernet’s sculptures influenced by New York’s architecture, reflecting its vibrant nature.
- Connecting Past and Present: Vernet’s stoneware sculptures from surviving mouldings and tenement facades convey history through poetic titles and reversed text.
- Urban Evolution: Vernet’s “Drag” video installation portrays the city’s transformation, symbolizing the struggle between preserving heritage and embracing change.
n the vibrant tapestry of Manhattan's Bowery, Alix Vernet's exhibition "Street Casts" stands out, offering a unique perspective on the city's architectural history. Vernet's sculptures, crafted from surviving mouldings and lintels, echo the diverse influences that shape this dynamic urban landscape.
Drawing from the facades of tenements and historic buildings, Vernet’s stoneware sculptures evoke the essence of an earlier New York. Poetic titles, cast from memorial letters, underline the connection between past and present, while backward text encourages viewers to consider the unseen side of history. Through her meticulous process and engagement with local residents, Vernet highlights the material history of the area.
A video installation titled “Drag” captures a tarp, initially a corporate rendering, that shields a construction site. As Vernet drags the tarp through the city streets, marked by graffiti and the elements, she symbolizes the struggle between preserving the past and embracing the future. In a place marked by rapid change and gentrification, Vernet’s work serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of staying grounded in the city’s evolving identity.
