NEW YORK.- Barry Friedman Ltd. is pleased to presents Dinanderie, an exhibition of sculpture by French artist Hervé Wahlen, from February 21 through March 15, 2008. This exhibition demonstrates Wahlen’s mastery with the rare and unusual art of dinanderie, the manual shaping of copper metal sheeting and its subsequent decorative processes, including hammering, shaping, soldering and welding, cutting and patination. The resulting organically shaped objects are both sensuous and enigmatic.

Wahlen explores issues of contrast and balance. Smooth exterior surfaces in deep, rich patinas are juxtaposed with highly textured interiors of gold leaf. The reflective nature of the interior draws the viewer’s eye to the light within, while a copper skin stretched above a predetermined void creates tension.

Most of the pieces have a seemingly precarious stance; an illusion created by Wahlen’s careful use of metal ball bearings to provide weight and counterbalance. The viewer is encouraged to manipulate and handle the works, creating a sense of discovery and mystery. Secret compartments, doors, and lids reveal themselves through manual exploration. The artist explains, “The idea of balance accentuates the mystery of the work. The counterweights allow the handling of the pieces and the ability to move them slightly. In the same spirit as my work, my workshop is a house with an open door onto the world and through my craft I am allowed to seek its refuge, or to regroup.”

Wahlen’s work is represented in the Fond National d’Art Contemporain, Paris and in numerous private collections in France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States, including the collection of Bill Gates.

Hervé Wahlen was born in 1957 in Oran, Algeria. He lives and works in France.

Running concurrently in an adjacent gallery is an exhibition of new, limited edition bronze furniture by Ingrid Donat.