NEW YORK, NY.- CLLCTV.NYC presents the solo exhibition of New York artist FRIDGE, "FreezerBurn Factory," from April 5 to 30, 2024. Featuring over 100 new and old handmade mixed-media works, this exhibition explores the artist's wide-ranging repertoire.
For this new exhibition, the artist transforms the gallery space into a fully immersive factory, taking viewers into a hypothetical scenario of what would happen if AI took over and converted it into a robot facility. The artist asserts that new technology functions as tools and catalysts for a progressive approach to engaging with art and its evolution, as demonstrated through the included works of mixed-media sculptures, a custom video game and kiosk, AI-generated digital prints, and 11 large-scale paintings. Celebrated for his unconventional fabrications, the artist continues exploring the integration of traditional craftsmanship with modern technologies' infinite capabilities, between the tangible and the virtual.
FreezerBurn Factory debuts the artist's latest appropriation techniques seen in his mixed-media sculpture "FRIDGEBOT." These sculptures, resembling robots, undergo a process of laser-cutting and 3D printing before being individually hand-painted with acrylic and aerosol spray paint. Each robot is stationed on a custom-built shelf equipped with rotating bases, yielding a striking 360-degree view generated through custom stepper motors, PCBs (printed circuit boards), and coded to synchronize the movements across all 24 FRIDGEBOTS. This was accomplished through a collaboration with fellow artist mike_wires. In parallel, the artist also introduces "CANBOTS," a collection of 50 upcycled empty spray cans sourced from his previous projects and murals. Each sculpture is signed and numbered, revealing its natural patinas with added 3D-printed limbs on bent plexiglass shelves.
Using wood, MDF boards, plexiglass, and canvas, the artist incorporates acrylic paint to illustrate his signature figurative paintings of FRIDGEBOTS and landscape compositions, underscoring his commitment to remixing traditional paint methods. Among the exhibition highlights is the transformation of a mundane household appliance into a work of art. Dubbed "FRIDGEBOT: MWAVE1337", this sculpture reimagines a microwave, further exemplifying the artist's ingenuity and imaginative approach to his craft. For him, this creative methodology arises from a deep-seated appreciation for transforming ordinary objects into unique works.
FreezerBurn Factory sees FRIDGE's mastery of laser engraving machines, 3D printers, traditional power tools, and artificial intelligence (AI), which informs the new collection. Space in the back of the gallery will be dedicated to FRIDGE's "laboratory," replicating his studio in Brooklyn, with additional studio artwork on the walls. Visitors are also welcome to play a custom video game made by game developer Raw Syndicate to represent the storyline of the show's concept.
FRIDGE is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist working in digital media, sculpture, and painting. He was born in the Philippines to a family of artists and moved to Brooklyn at age six, where his early exposure to graffiti left an imprint on his art career. He became recognized for his distinctive purple refrigerator artwork, seen throughout New York City.
His work developed into three-dimensional sculptures often challenging one's perception, employing his stylized signature and phrase "stop doing nothing." He was the first artist to have collaborated with Champion, New York, with a solo show and capsule collection, and he has his own signature G-Shock design of the iconic DW5600 silhouette that launched with his first solo exhibition 'Perfect Timing" (2019) at their flagship SoHo store.
His work has been shown internationally and is included in many collections, such as Google's New York Permanent Collection and New York Historical Society Museum, as part of their 'History Responds' initiative. STOP DOING NOTHING is a catchphrase coined by FRIDGE meant to motivate people to overcome self-constructed barriers.
