Photo: Vuk Dragojevic, courtesy of the artist
The blindingly bright lights of seven hollowed-out vanity frames hang suspended by thin metal wires, compelling the viewer to walk farther toward the centre of the space, where two bronze sculptures sit facing one another, fragmented and eerily similar in appearance. Berlin-based Canadian artist Rochelle Goldberg’s Sun Moon Stars, on view at Mercer Union, is a compelling exhibition; addressing Mary of Egypt in her post-decay state through the larger themes of transformation and rebirth, Goldberg reframes societal understanding of the mythological canon in the ruinous forms present.
Surrounded by various ancillary objects, the sculptures bear a matte, textured quality upon closer examination—rendering visages whose surfaces seem to be constructed more from clay than from metal alloys. Each resting atop four metal cans, the effigies oppose one another in a semblance of conversation. The seven vanity frames, which face inward to illuminate the bronzes, are also anchored by metal cans. A myriad of sculptural motifs related to nourishment and decay surround the statues. This flotsam strewn around the gallery, coloured silver, serves to create a liminal space between sentience and inanimacy. Three bowls containing metal-cast celeriac bulbs rest in one corner, star wands float in the air, and wires above one of the two sculptures compose a tent-like shell bounded by grounded and airborne baguettes and cans.
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