Nancy Lupo Work | Artist Statement & CV | Return to Artist List
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Artist Statement
There is a game of ping-pong, back and forth, for hours lets say. Your eyes follow the ball. You might know the players you might not. You might recognize them but not know their names. You might know the rules of ping-pong or you might not know anything. The ball flies off the table.
The sculptures are made, elements are often found and bought. The forms are familiar. The cliché says that familiarity breeds contempt but really, what is familiar? I think it’s more that familiarity breeds abstraction and abstractions, like negative hallucinations, often don’t register as anything. The more you look at something the less you know what you are looking at. Keep looking and the mind will melt it down and re-cast it as something else.
In ping-pong, when the ball flies off of the table, I like to picture the table falling away like rocket boosters. To be clear, this isn’t a journey into outer space. It is the form’s constant transformation of the mind’s tidy assumptions and the unclear operations of the world.
There is a game of ping-pong, back and forth, for hours lets say. Your eyes follow the ball. You might know the players you might not. You might recognize them but not know their names. You might know the rules of ping-pong or you might not know anything. The ball flies off the table.
The sculptures are made, elements are often found and bought. The forms are familiar. The cliché says that familiarity breeds contempt but really, what is familiar? I think it’s more that familiarity breeds abstraction and abstractions, like negative hallucinations, often don’t register as anything. The more you look at something the less you know what you are looking at. Keep looking and the mind will melt it down and re-cast it as something else.
In ping-pong, when the ball flies off of the table, I like to picture the table falling away like rocket boosters. To be clear, this isn’t a journey into outer space. It is the form’s constant transformation of the mind’s tidy assumptions and the unclear operations of the world.
CV
Nancy Lupo
b. 1983 Flagtsaff, AZ
Lives and works in Richmond, Virginia and New York
EDUCATION
2011 MFA, Yale University, New Haven, CT
2007 BFA, The Cooper Union, New York, NY
2004 – 2005, École National Supérior des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2011
The Hand Presents: Public Sculpture / 1100 Broadway / Brooklyn, NY
New Insight 2011 at Art Chicago curated by Susanne Ghez / Chicago, IL
Stage Couch Paw / Green Gallery / New Haven, CT
2010
Brucienienal Miseducation / Bruce High Quality HQ / New York, NY
Icons and Allegories curated by Mark McKnight / Sight School / Oakland, CA A
A DESIRE TO LEARN ESPERANTO: HAVING A THING to do with Esperanto, Ballantine Beer, both or neither / Works-Sited at Los Angeles Public Library
Portugal Arte 2010 / Lisbon Portugal
An Evening With the Slow School / Robert Goff Gallery / New York, NY
MMXI / Green Gallery / New Haven, CT
2007
BYBY / Houghton Gallery at Cooper Union/ New York City
2006
E.V and Gary P. / Beaver Street Gallery / Flagstaff, Arizona
2005
A Preamble From the Heart / Bétonsalon / Paris, France
Diverse Universe Performance Festival/ Time Space Movement -Paide,Estonia, Pärnu, Estonia, Tartu, Estonia, Helsinki, Finland, Lahti, Finland
HONORS
2011
Virginia Commonwealth University Fountainhead Fellowship
Susan H. Whedon Award for Outstanding Student in Sculpture, Yale University
Alice Kimball English Traveling Fellowship, finalist
Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant, finalist
2010-2011
Robert Storr Scholarship, Yale University
2007
Sarah Cooper Hewitt Prize, Cooper Union
BIBLOGARPHY
“The Promised Land? Will Portugal Arte 10 Become a Fixture on the Art World Calendar”. HUFFPOST ARTS August 2010.
Zwirner, Lucas. “Materials at work in MFA exhibit”. Yale Daily News March 25, 2011.
Nancy Lupo
b. 1983 Flagtsaff, AZ
Lives and works in Richmond, Virginia and New York
EDUCATION
2011 MFA, Yale University, New Haven, CT
2007 BFA, The Cooper Union, New York, NY
2004 – 2005, École National Supérior des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2011
The Hand Presents: Public Sculpture / 1100 Broadway / Brooklyn, NY
New Insight 2011 at Art Chicago curated by Susanne Ghez / Chicago, IL
Stage Couch Paw / Green Gallery / New Haven, CT
2010
Brucienienal Miseducation / Bruce High Quality HQ / New York, NY
Icons and Allegories curated by Mark McKnight / Sight School / Oakland, CA A
A DESIRE TO LEARN ESPERANTO: HAVING A THING to do with Esperanto, Ballantine Beer, both or neither / Works-Sited at Los Angeles Public Library
Portugal Arte 2010 / Lisbon Portugal
An Evening With the Slow School / Robert Goff Gallery / New York, NY
MMXI / Green Gallery / New Haven, CT
2007
BYBY / Houghton Gallery at Cooper Union/ New York City
2006
E.V and Gary P. / Beaver Street Gallery / Flagstaff, Arizona
2005
A Preamble From the Heart / Bétonsalon / Paris, France
Diverse Universe Performance Festival/ Time Space Movement -Paide,Estonia, Pärnu, Estonia, Tartu, Estonia, Helsinki, Finland, Lahti, Finland
HONORS
2011
Virginia Commonwealth University Fountainhead Fellowship
Susan H. Whedon Award for Outstanding Student in Sculpture, Yale University
Alice Kimball English Traveling Fellowship, finalist
Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant, finalist
2010-2011
Robert Storr Scholarship, Yale University
2007
Sarah Cooper Hewitt Prize, Cooper Union
BIBLOGARPHY
“The Promised Land? Will Portugal Arte 10 Become a Fixture on the Art World Calendar”. HUFFPOST ARTS August 2010.
Zwirner, Lucas. “Materials at work in MFA exhibit”. Yale Daily News March 25, 2011.
Sculpture Building Desk (2010) 13’ x 11’ x 30”
polystyrene foam, Foamcoat, Mixol, Hydrostone, shellac, epoxy resin, resin tint, Maison de Verre cast block ashtray, chemical trays and metal access door
A DESIRE TO LEARN ESPERANTO: HAVING A THING to do with Esperanto, Ballantine Beer, both or neither (2010)27” x 19” x 12”
polystyrene foam, Foamcoat, furniture gliders, silicone caulking, latex paint, epoxy resin, gold paint, Maison de Verre cast block ashtray, 36 nickles and 36 Ballantine XXX rebus bottle caps
Swimming Pool Couch (2010)7’ x 28” x 39”
polystyrene foam, Foamcoat, rubberized swimming pool epoxy, Mixol, Hydrostone, stainless steel mixing bowl, pennies, plastic punch out from Shaw’s card, epoxy resin, resin tint, ball chain and foamy key chain thing
Swimming Pool Couch (detail) (2010)7’ x 28” x 39”
polystyrene foam, Foamcoat, rubberized swimming pool epoxy, Mixol, Hydrostone, stainless steel mixing bowl, pennies, plastic punch out from Shaw’s card, epoxy resin, resin tint, ball chain and foamy key chain thing
Love Couch (back) (2010)7’ x 28” x 39”
polystyrene foam, Foamcoat, Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays, bottle, electrical cord, layers and layers of enamel paint, aluminum roof paint, halved aluminum foil ball, large vegetable peeler, beer bottle, rubber band and epoxy resin
Love Couch (front) (2010)7’ x 28” x 39”
polystyrene foam, Foamcoat, Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays, bottle, electrical cord, layers and layers of enamel paint, aluminum roof paint, halved aluminum foil ball, large vegetable peeler, beer bottle, rubber band and epoxy resin
Selected Furnis (2010)dimensions variable
foam, Foamcoat, Mod Podge, epoxy resin, Styrofoam balls, dog bowls, red wax Gouda, reptile feeder, foamy floating key chain, solar flip-flap plant, glass bottles, giant vegetable peeler, electrical cords, foil ball sawed in half and Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays
Selected Furnis with Amanda Knox (2010)dimensions variable
foam, Foamcoat, Mod Podge, epoxy resin, Styrofoam balls, dog bowls, Red Wax Gouda, reptile feeder, foamy floating key chain, solar flip-flap plant, glass bottles, giant vegetable peeler, electrical cords, foil ball sawed in half and Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays, Rockhard Water Putty, ink jet print outs and clear bags
The Kissing-er (2011)14’ x 12’ x 58”
foam, Mod Podge and red rosin paper
The Kissing-er (another view) (2011)14’ x 12’ x 58”
foam, Mod Podge and red rosin paper
detail of Hanging Garden (2011)25’ tall
glass street lamp cover, epoxy resin, cat food, tin foil, scrubber, horseshoe crabs, pennies, ball chain, extension cords, and tacks
Tummy Tub (2011)15” x 14” 28”
Tummy Tub, Tummy Tub Stand, epoxy resin, security camera cover, popcorn, pennies, ball chain, lemon slices, tin foil, cat food bowl, regular tacks and giant tacks
Stadium Paw (front) (2011)5’ x 5’ x 45”
foam, Foamcoat, Mod Podge, epoxy resin, Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays in Forton MG, wax and plastic, Magic Sculpt, liquid graphite, raincoat, red rosin paper, magnifying glass, finch mix birdseed, glass, decorative flakes, sand, ball chain, furniture gliders, pennies and brute trash can lid
Stadium Paw (back) (2011)5’ x 5’ x 45”
foam, Foamcoat, Mod Podge, epoxy resin, Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays in Forton MG, wax and plastic, Magic Sculpt, liquid graphite, raincoat, red rosin paper, magnifying glass, finch mix birdseed, glass, decorative flakes, sand, ball chain, furniture gliders, pennies and brute trash can lid
Couch Paw (2011)5’ x 5’ x 45”
foam, Foamcoat, Mod Podge, epoxy resin, Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays in plastic, epoxy resin with dog bones, cat food, birdseed and decorative non-skid flakes, Magic Sculpt, Magic Smooth, polyurethane foam, liquid graphite, raincoat bits, red rosin paper, dog bowls, ball chain, dog biscuits, birdseed, sand, glass bottles, pennies and furniture gliders
Couch Paw (again) (2011)5’ x 5’ x 45”
foam, Foamcoat, Mod Podge, epoxy resin, Maison de Verre cast block ashtrays in plastic, epoxy resin with dog bones, cat food, birdseed and decorative non-skid flakes, Magic Sculpt, Magic Smooth, polyurethane foam, liquid graphite, raincoat bits, red rosin paper, dog bowls, ball chain, dog biscuits, birdseed, sand, glass bottles, pennies and furniture gliders
Baby Brute (2011)10 gallon Brute container, epoxy resin, bottles, rebus puzzle bottle caps, pennies, large penny and ball chain
Baby Brute (interior) (2011)10 gallon Brute container, epoxy resin, bottles, rebus puzzle bottle caps, pennies, large penny and ball chain
Large Brute, Middle Brute & Rule Plug (2011)dimensions variable
Brute containers, tap water, $25 brick of pennies, ball chain, 10 gallon brute lids, pennies, bottle caps, epoxy resin, ball chain debris and polystyrene foam
Middle Brute (2011)33 gallon brute container and tap water