Lehmann Maupin presents an exhibition of new and recent work by Tom Friedman, entitled Thinking About What it is Made of. Interested in ideas of perception, materiality, and the purpose of art today, Friedman utilizes everyday materials, including Styrofoam, metal wire, oven roasting pans, wood, and paint to alchemic effect throughout his practice. Thinking about what it’s made of explores both Friedman’s investigation of the figure in art and the process of learning about ourselves. “Thinking about the meaning of the human figure leads me to ask questions about self-knowledge and the mystery of being human—about finding ourselves within ourselves,” states Friedman, “thinking about what we are made of, and what the figures in the exhibition are made of, leads to increased self-awareness and transformation.” Whether made by hand to look industrially produced or cast in a foundry to retain elements of the handmade, Friedman’s work requires careful contemplation to uncover the internal logic, existential questions, and visual puns that hide just beneath his surfaces.
Thinking About What it is Made of brings together recent sculpture, drawing, and wall mounted works. The exhibition is figure focused, with many pieces engaging the idea of the human body in literal and conceptual ways. Created specifically for this presentation, Medium Huddle features eight figures gathered together in a posture of intimacy and discussion. Friedman often works in opposites—the original idea for the Huddle series came after the artist created his monumental Circle Dance, which features 10 people holding hands while moving in a wide, jubilant dance. Where Circle Dance imagines human figures as an open circle, Medium Huddle considers what the reverse might look like. Medium Huddle also reflects Friedman’s deft ability to manipulate scale—while this sculpture stands at three and a half feet, a larger-than-life size Huddle was commissioned by the Dallas Cowboys for their training facility in Frisco.
Medium Huddle is the latest in a series of sculptures made of aluminum foil and oven roasting pans that the artist ultimately casts in stainless steel. When cast, these sculptures retain the imprint of the crinkled foil and the logos from the pans used in their creation, highlighting the tension between the handmade and the produced that is always at work within Friedman’s practice. The sculpture Nobody similarly demonstrates the artist’s skillful sleight of hand. The work depicts a pair of feet from the ankle down, complete with athletic sneakers and rolled down socks. From a distance, the sculpture appears hyper-realistic, as if the shoes and socks had been plucked from a department store and fitted onto a plastic mannequin for display. In fact, the entire work is carved from two solid Styrofoam blocks and meticulously painted to be almost indistinguishable from the everyday attire it is modeled after.
From handmade figures and carved Styrofoam sculpture to unique drawings and intricate wall works, Thinking About What it is Made of showcases the breadth of Friedman’s practice today. Playful yet deep, each work is a riddle to be unlocked—whether through close looking or analytical thinking—and each evinces the immense time, craftsmanship, and conceptual rigor that goes into its making.