Masa Galería: Harmonious Contradiction

Adeline de Monseignat, Atelier Van Lieshout, Brian Thoreen, EWE Studio, Héctor Esrawe, Mario García Torres, Milena Muzquiz, Pedro Reyes

Harmonious Contradiction is the fourth and final summer exhibition at Sotheby’s East Hampton Gallery and the first collaboration between Masa and Sotheby’s.

Harmonious Contradiction is a group exhibition presenting eight contemporary artists producing polished bronze and brass floor works by Mexico City-based Masa Galería, in conversation with a selection of post-war and contemporary works curated by Sotheby’s.

Masa’s presentation centers around newly produced works by artists Pedro Reyes, Mario García Torres, Héctor Esrawe, Adeline de Monseignat, Brian Thoreen, Milena Muzquiz, EWE Studio, and Atelier van Lieshout. These will be presented alongside a series of works by pioneering artists of the 20th century and today, including Ellsworth Kelly, Sam Francis, Philip Guston, George Condo, Christo, and Adam Pendleton – all of which will be available for sale.

Atelier van Lieshout presents a polished bronze work of two abstract figures that are in the process of taking care of a third person. Caretaker Side Table is part of a series of works representing the different human feelings of love, compassion, sorrow, charity, enjoyment and relaxation.

Mario García Torres' bronze chair responds to Bruce Nauman’s 1965 sculpture A cast of the space under my chair. In García Torres’ version, the mold is cast from the negative space of the Silla Equipal, a traditional design from Jalisco, Mexico.

Adeline de Monseignat’s three-piece interactive sculpture is inspired by the many layers protecting a child during gestation. Simultaneously the work also talks about the different phases of pregnancy and how a mother-to-be feels a constant reevaluation of who she is–growing, adapting, morphing. It thus encompasses the many Skins a woman embodies during that period of transformation. Like a snake, she sheds skins that no longer fit, making room for someone new.

Brian Thoreen surprises us with Bronze Cache, a monumental and playful seven and a half foot tall sculpture which hides a cache or bowl at the top. By placing this potentially functional component out of easy reach, Thoreen allows us to focus our attention on the sculptural form. Balancing playfulness and function, refinement and intrigue, the shape will always regain its composure.

Pedro Reyes presents Mitla Sillas, striking brass works which are inspired by the Mitla archaeological site in Oaxaca, specifically the rhythmic repetition of motifs, fretworks, and symmetry of the pyramids.

EWE Studio continues its exploration of Mexico’s rich artisanal and material heritage with Copal Coffee Table. This work consists of six hemispheres carved in volcanic stone by master stonemasons, which are then sand-casted into polished bronze, leaving traces of the characteristics of the original volcanic material on their surface. The table’s structure is unique for its technical complexity, whilst defying gravity through the cantilever.

Milena Muzquiz has been working in ceramics for over 15 years, with a strong interest in African wood block stools, whose shapes are always organic and somewhat curved for the human body, she is interested in how they are a means to embody one's soul. To Muzquiz, functional objects are sacred, with the stools offering a place of rest and reflection, often accentuated through their organic forms.

Héctor Esrawe’s artworks imbue common materials with an elevated sense of value or purpose. In Gear Coffee Table, the honeycomb cardboard shape reveals a series of aleatory vertical patterns with a sculptural expression, transforming an everyday coffee table into a precious sculptural ornament.

Masa has distinguished itself by conceiving dynamic exhibitions that expand upon the boundaries between art and design. Always working in different locations and cities allowing for new expressions in each iteration.

With digital, physical, and conceptual presence, Masa challenges convention and presents ideas on a global stage. With an effort to open up conversation and dialogue around material culture, Masa curates exhibitions offering work with integrity, direction and value. Masa was founded in Mexico City by a collective of creatives — Age Salajõe, Héctor Esrawe and Brian Thoreen, along with Isaac Bissu and Roberto Diaz — whose backgrounds in art, design and architecture are reflected in Masa’s presentation of design at its boundaries.