William Corwin: “Champollion” at Geary gallery

Geary Contemporary is excited to present Champollion, a solo exhibition of sculptures by New York-based artist William Corwin. Champollion is a collection of small and medium-sized cast sculptures, in lead, plaster and resin that offer up a glossary of found and constructed symbols: the title refers to Jean-Francois Champollion, decipherer of the hieroglyphic language; a pictographic/ideographic and phonetic form of communication that the sculptor sees as a model for the construction of his own objects as both images and texts. The accompanying catalog offers a selection of Corwin’s interviews with archeologists Colin Renfrew, Jill Cook and Yonas Beyene on the origins of symbolism, drawing and form. The organization and installation of the gallery loosely imitates a celestial ship carrying Corwin’s sculptures and the spirit of the father of Egyptology, Champollion, across the sky.

 
“Champollion, is a presentation in a Bark—a ship that would guide a pharaoh on their interstellar afterworld journey. Set up for this exhibition, Corwin’s solar vessel is on a burial voyage for the Father of Egyptology. Jean-François Champollion (an original Hacker) who freed the hidden narrative held captive by poor translation. He deciphered hieroglyphics and opened history.”
– David Goodman

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 21, 6 – 8pm.