SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Jack Fischer Gallery has just opened Byron Ryono’s new exhibition 'old friends, new acquaintances' at Minnesota Street Project in the Lounge on the First Floor. These pieces are unique bronzes, in a way they go against the tenets of multiples. There is something familiar yet not about the work. The shapes and forms as the work wends its way into being at Ryono’s hand. We have seen these before or so we think and on closer examination it is only with the barest hint of the familiar that we then begin to slowly extract a place a sensation a figure that we have always known, but here it is in a new manner. A new manner that excites and gives us a sense that the pieces , those forms belong with us as in almost an old fetish/magic touchstone.
In Byron’s words: “ This body of work includes evolved forms of past work and a few new explorations. Those familiar with my sculpture will recognize the heritage of some pieces while others will not be recognizable as mine. I have no idea where the new work comes from; I only know I want to try something I have never done before. In this case I used paint. Paint is very different than a chemical patina. The only shared quality is that they are both applied at high temperatures.”
This body of work is notable for its foray (not the first time though) into what might be called “arte povera,” an art movement that was first coined by Italian art critic and curator Germano Celant in 1967. These artists were known for their use of a wide range of throwaway materials which often included rags, soil and twigs, as well as leftover detritus from machines or construction sites.
As Ryono states, they’re “materials that would not otherwise be found together.”
Some of the pieces hint at the joy found when discovering some long-lost treasure in the attic or basement, or coming across an equally delightful and charming bauble. The feeling is akin to that resonating moment of a find when treasure hunting at a flea market.
Jack Fischer Gallery
'Byron Ryono: old friends, new acquaintances'
November 16th, 2023 - December 20th, 2023
