NEW YORK, NY.- The Garment District Alliance announced the latest in its ongoing series of public art exhibits, showcasing Bitter|Sweet, a series of 32 ceramic pottery pieces crafted by artist Laurie Carretta Scupp.
Created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, Bitter|Sweet presents a series of emotionally connected stories in clay, representing the ‘bittersweet’ moments during isolation. Located in a street-level window at 215 West 38th Street, the free exhibit is accessible to the public through December 4th. The installation is part of the Garment District Space for Public Art program, which showcases artists in unusual locations and over 17 years has produced more than 200 installations, exhibits and performances.
“We’re proud to present Laurie’s thought-provoking exhibit as part of our series of public art installations this fall,” said Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance. “This exhibition features wonderful pieces that represent feelings and emotions everyone can relate to, and we encourage the community to view BitterISweet when visiting the Garment District.”
Through the exhibition’s glass walls, viewers are invited to observe a setting of safety and comfort, adorned with pieces that elicit home, including ceramic cups, bowls, butter dishes and decorative artwork on the wall. Through soft curves, a warm palette, and familiar designs, Scupp’s creations provide a welcoming impression, but prolonged viewing reveals incongruous elements, unusual glazes and precarious placements. The contrasting elements throughout the scene reflect the feelings of comfort Scupp’s family enjoyed together at home, juxtaposed against the fear and anxiety felt from the pandemic.
Based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Scupp began studying ceramics in 2015 and discovered a passion to create with clay. She employs both the potter’s wheel and hand building techniques to produce ceramic sculptures and functional works that are deeply inspired by fairytales, folklore, and myths.
The Garment District is home to diverse business sectors from technology to hospitality and includes thousands of people working in the creative economy, including fine and performing artists, designers, architects, photographers and more than a hundred theaters, galleries, performance spaces and studios.
