Liz Collins and Gabrielle Shelton: Stairs

Candice Madey is pleased to announce, Stairs, a two-person exhibition of new work by Liz Collins and Gabrielle Shelton. Through their respective media–Collins in fiber, and Shelton in steel–both artists explore the geometry and symbolism of the staircase.

While both artists design functional objects and work with architecture, works in Stairs display a shared interest in disrupting function through shifts in material and scale. Collins and Shelton, independent of each other, found that this simple geometric element–inverted, flattened, presented in a new context–offered the form to explore numerous other spiritual, cultural, and vernacular associations. Their ensuing conversations were the basis for this exhibition.

Collins is well-known for her work in fiber, which has often taken form in immersive installations and fashion and textile design, often in collaboration with other artisans. In 2018, she started a suite of more intimate embroidered works which feature the staircase, providing both a playful and practical way to explore linear dimensionality, as well as its association with spiritual ascension. Collins’s embroidered works are comprised of a vibrant and colorful spectrum of wool, cashmere, cotton, and acrylic threads–a palette that is typical of her work.

Shelton’s stair sculptures explore the cultural vernacular of everyday life and the tension at play between functional and non-functional design. The works are fabricated by the artist in steel, consistently eighteen inches squared, and powder-coated in bright shades of red and pink–colors inspired by classic shades of Chanel lipstick, which double as the works’ titles. Shelton, in addition to her sculptural practice, owns and operates an architectural welding and machine shop that is focused on the tradition of craft as it applies to functional and decorative objects. She cites the mythical “hidden stairs” that are scattered around Los Angeles, Shelton’s hometown, as an early influence for her work.

Together, Stairs celebrates the creative potential of spaces that are just above, or below, one’s existing standpoint, and the highs and lows that are a part of any journey.

Liz Collins’s has presented her work at The Museum of Arts and Design, Leslie Lohman Museum, Museum of FIT, New Museum, MoMA, Drawing Center (all New York); Tang Museum (Saratoga Springs, NY); Addison Gallery of American Art (Andover, MA); Knoxville Museum of Art (TN); Luis de Jesus (Los Angeles); September (Hudson, NY); and Rossana Orlandi (Milan). Collins’s honors include a USA Fellowship, a MacColl Johnson Fellowship, Foundation for Contemporary Arts & ArtistRelief grants, Drawing Center Open Sessions. The Tang Museum released her first major publication, Liz Collins Energy Field in 2020. She is based in Brooklyn, NY.

Brooklyn-based artist and sculptor Gabrielle Shelton earned her BFA at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1995. In 2000, Gabrielle founded Shelton Studios Inc, which specializes in architectural metal fabrication. The studio works closely with architects, designers, artists, and contractors. Her sculptures in bronze, steel, and aluminum have been exhibited at the Female Design Council at Stoneleaf Retreat (Kingston, NY); Guild Hall (East Hampton, NY); R & Company (New York); The Museum of the City of New York; and Socrates Sculpture Park (New York). A catalog of her sculpture was published in 2021.