NEW YORK.- Priska C. Juschka Fine Art is pleased to announce the opening of Against Stone and Sea, Carolyn Salas’ first solo exhibition in New York. In this installation, Salas transforms the gallery into a dynamic environment in which struggle and hope take form with symbols of folklore and mythology.

In preparing her installation, Salas found inspiration in sources such as religious relics, folkloric images, history, the symbolism of dreams, and Greek allegory. Rather than pointing to a specific culture, she exemplifies the manner in which these images hold a universal meaning. Amongst the components of the installation are large stones made of foam and plaster and coated in a heavy black varnish, which embody the monumental and undeniable obstacles in life that one must overcome. Hanging from the ceiling is a highly reflective surface that mirrors the entire environment. Evoking ocean waves, it functions as a metaphor for the endless possibilities that exist in life—our hopes, passions, rewards, or dreams.

The pinnacle of the installation is an image of a double-headed eagle, which appears in two different formats. Cast in bronze and platted in nickel, this seductive sculpture is positioned atop a 9 foot tower of tree stumps that Salas collected from her mother’s home in California. Its other incarnation is in dense layers of felt and surrounded by multi-colored rays that conjure the mythical phoenix. While this unique fetishized creature is an emblem bearing contradicting meanings of division, rebirth, and balance, here it appears as a human portrait—an embodiment of one’s own inner struggles.

Linking the diverse components and framing the visitor’s experience is an archway of dream-catchers that one walks through upon entering the gallery space. This folk object has long been used for the purpose of preventing dreams from escaping one’s consciousness. The age-old desire stems from the belief that dreams are a source of enlightenment, as they meld all our positive and negative daily experiences, and assist us in making sense of them. Here, Salas wishes to create an adobe for contemplation where hardship and triumph join to reveal our inner-strength and resilience—enabling a cathartic experience to unfurl. Thus, she has quite literally created a space to get ‘caught up in a dream.’

Carolyn Salas in a native of California, who currently lives and works in New York. She holds an MFA from Hunter College, NY and a BFA from the College of Santa Fe, NM. She has participated in numerous group shows, primarily in the NY and NM area. She is the recipient of several awards and fellowships, including the Rita Glasser scholarship, the Vermont Studio Center fellowship, and is currently a resident at the Chashama Studio Program. She was recently included in the Princeton Architectural Press publication By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art (J. Magliaro & S. Hung).