On April 26, Wasserman Projects will open three concurrent solo exhibitions of works by Detroit-based artist Scott Hocking, Brazilian artist Maritza Caneca, and Brooklyn-based artist Jack Henry. While presented in three distinct shows, the featured artists this spring are, nonetheless, connected by their mutual interest in the evolution and state of urban environments. From Hocking’s monumental installation to Caneca’s richly-colored, cinematic photographs to Henry’s abstract sculptural works, the artists take as their subject the current landscape of the Americas. The exhibitions will remain on view through June 29, 2019.
The detritus and dissolution of man-made structures that once stood in grandeur serve as important points of departure and inspiration for each of the featured artists. While this sense of abandonment serves as an undercurrent in their practices, notions of transformation, the discovery of beauty in unexpected places, and the importance of memory are equally pivotal through-lines, adding levity and optimism to their work. Whether as a commentary on post-industrial America or an encapsulation of the nostalgia of forgotten spaces, Hocking, Caneca, and Henry, each bring to light the influence and experience of physical spaces and objects in our daily lives.
“To immerse oneself and fully own the beauty and power of seemingly ordinary objects and environments takes a certain kind of audacity. That is in part what has drawn me to each of our spring featured artists,” said Alison Wong, Director of Wasserman Projects. “Their ability to transform day-today experiences into narratives that address both personally and universally resonant subjects is so compelling. And as you engage in their work more deeply, you see at play the dichotomies of the natural and man-made, the contemporary and ancient, the funny and the grave—when those pieces come together in their hands, they produce something fresh, exciting, and real.”
The spring line-up is also in keeping with Wasserman Projects’ vision to bring together in dialogue in Detroit local, national, and international artists. A further detailing of each artist’s exhibition follows below.