NEW LONDON, CONN.- The Lyman Allyn Art Museum announces the opening of Knot Theory: Sculptural Works by Gilbert Boro, on view August 24 through October 27, 2019.

Knot Theory: Sculptural Works by Gilbert Boro is the latest exhibit in Lyman Allyn’s Near :: New contemporary series. Boro, of Old Lyme, is an abstract sculptor, architect, educator and international design consultant, whose sculptures focus on the interplay of space, place and form. As the name suggests, Knot Theory highlights Boro’s knot sculptures, exploring their intricate shapes and figures. The exhibition will be on view in Glassenberg Gallery on the museum’s first floor.

“In my work I prefer formal clarity to ornamentality,” Boro said. “I rely on variations of complementary elements, such as planes juxtaposed with curves. My materials are stone, steel, wood, aluminum and plastics. Where appropriate, I will use computer-aided design to model the spatial relationships of my working drafts.”

For Boro, knots have dual associations: The first is their indispensable applications in sailing, which he learned as a teenager living on Long Island Sound, and the second is their symbolism of unity, which is seen in the synergy created from weaving different strands to form a strong bond. Boro’s knot sculptures simultaneously expose the inherent power and strength of their construction with the smoothness and elegance of their grace. According to Boro, it is this dual bond between strength and grace that creates a universal harmony — as in art and in life.

In Boro’s view, “working at sculpture is a compulsion, not just a possibility.” He says that art doesn’t need to solve or interpret societal problems. Rather, the virtue of art is that it allows us to regain the creativity we all had naturally as children.

Gilbert Boro was born in New York, New York. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Duke University before going on to complete advanced degrees from Columbia University. After a successful early career in architecture, Boro turned to his passion for sculpting, producing a wide range of works with varied aesthetics and materials. Boro’s sculptures are on display across the country from Connecticut to California. Boro now lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut and is dedicated to the local arts community. He works out of and runs Studio 80+ Sculpture Grounds, a custom fabrication studio and sculpture garden, which is open to the public. With several thousand visitors each year, the 4.5-acre sculpture grounds presently feature over 130 works by Boro and contributing artists who are selected to exhibit through juried competitions.