Sikkema Jenkins & Co. is pleased to present a solo exhibition of work by Leonardo Drew, his fourth at the gallery, on view from September 6th through October 13, 2012. Rooted in historical evidence, Leonardo Drew’s abstract sculptural compositions are emotionally charged reflections on the cyclical nature of existence. From the eroded fibers of human industry and the tide of urban development to the awareness of ourselves as part of the fabric of a larger universe and a connection to all things, Drew exhumes the visions of... Read more

Sikkema Jenkins & Co. is pleased to present a solo exhibition of work by Leonardo Drew, his fourth at the gallery, on view from September 6th through October 13, 2012.

Rooted in historical evidence, Leonardo Drew’s abstract sculptural compositions are emotionally charged reflections on the cyclical nature of existence. From the eroded fibers of human industry and the tide of urban development to the awareness of ourselves as part of the fabric of a larger universe and a connection to all things, Drew exhumes the visions of the past in a mirror of organic reality that reveals the resonance of life – the nature of nature.

In the current exhibition, gallery visitors are confronted by a large-scale site-specific installation that snakes its way from the entrance through the main gallery space before finally culminating in the back gallery. To complete the piece, Drew spent nearly an entire month working on site. The result is an enveloping sculptural installation that engages in the physical and visceral experience of art spectatorship.

Drew has been making artwork since childhood, first exhibiting his work at the age of 13. He went on to attend the Parsons School of Design and received his BFA from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and art in 1985. Since then his work has been shown in solo exhibitions at notable institutions such as Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego (1995); The Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC (2000); the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin, Ireland (2001); and Palazzo Delle Papesse, Centro Arte Contemporanea in Siena, Italy (2006). Drew’s mid-career survey exhibition, Existed: Leonardo Drew, debuted in 2009 at the Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston and traveled to the Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro, NC and the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA.

Drew has also collaborated with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and has participated in artist residencies at ArtPace, San Antonio and The Studio Museum of Harlem in New York, among others. He was awarded the 2011 Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

Recent editions by Drew will be exhibited at Pace Prints, 521 West 26th Street, from September 14th through November 3rd.

A new publication is available for pre-order at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. This volume documents Drew’s recent production created between 2007 and 2012, including works from both current exhibitions.