NEW YORK, NY.- albertz benda is now presenting Canal Street, Australian ceramicist and sculptor Jake Clarks first solo exhibition with the gallery. On view from January 5th to February 4th, 2023, the exhibition will feature Clarks signature vessels alongside a new body of ceramic sculptures that riff on the names and trademarks of landmark New York venues. Opening on the heels of his relocation to New York, this exhibition marks a significant moment in Clarks artistic practice as the works presented are the last produced at his Melbourne studio.
Canal Street offers a fresh look at New York from the perspective of a native Australian as Clark retraces the fabric of the citys cultural and epicurean landscape through whimsical, handcrafted sculptures and ceramic objects. In Carbone Veal Parm, for example, he features the crowd-favorite dish at this renowned NYC eatery, complete with the likeness of the restaurants plates painted on the inner rim of the vessel.
Clarks handwrought sculptures harken back to his visits to the city and the many mementos he brought with him on his return home. Bold, colorful, and eccentric, this exhibition highlights the nostalgia associated with keepsakes and how they become part of our personal history.
Jake Clark (b. 1985 in Melbourne, Australia) is a sculptor, ceramicist, and painter whose work examines our relationship to contemporary culture and iconography. Clarks work is rich in historic and artistic references, from Grecian urns and funerary vessels to the work of artists such as David Hockney and Keith Haring. Taking inspiration from the world around him, Clarks work captures the current moment through its reinterpretation of signs, product branding, and logos.
His visual sources extend to supermarkets, restaurant menus, advertisements and visuals such as a street signs and local businesses. Clarks work has been widely exhibited internationally and featured by a number of publications including Broadsheet.