Ari Pescovitz's Gallery

Artist Statement

My artwork is about building bridges. Visually, I am inspired by functional aesthetics; a focus on the function of the object as a primary mover of design. For example, the cables on a suspension bridge have a crucial function in maintaining the bridge, while at the same time producing a graceful and precise parabolic arc. The crisp edges and graceful curves contrasted with the robustness of the materials inspire my work’s visual properties. Engineering without art is equivalent to life without water, it simply cannot exist. By taking visual cues from engineering while at the same time removing them from the context of functional structures my work strives to strengthen this bond between engineering and art.

As structural artists since the dawn of the industrial revolution, the materials I use play a crucial role in my work, both visually and conceptually. In addition to adding artistic value to the shapes and lines used in structural art, my goal is to elevate the materials as well. The rough grey concrete and the off-white gypsum can be seen as not simply functional materials but materials of art, no less valuable then the silver that I pair them with. As John Roebling did with his use of the newly introduced steel for the Brooklyn Bridge, I also use my materials based on personal experience. The result is that otherwise emotionally cold materials begin to take on a personal story or ideal. In my case, I have chosen to use surgical suture as a direct challenge to my inheritance. As the son of a second generation surgeon, my future seemed certain however, my love of art pushed me away from the expected goals laid out for me. As a response to this I began to use surgical suture to replace the cables used in suspension bridges. To me, there seemed to be great similarities in terms of their function and potential. One holds the body together after an operation, while the latter maintains the integrity of a bridge’s roadway. In using surgical suture, I am building a personal bridge to my future, held together by the cable of my past.

The final bridge I wish to create with my work is that between science, art, and religion. I am inspired by the Jewish teachings of my ancestors. Their constant pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the Texts is no different from the pursuits of the engineer, the surgeon, or the artist. Therefore, in my work I strive to give a new breathe to the stories, lessons, and teachings of the Jewish people by incorporating those morals and lessons into my work. This body of work strives to express those bridges between art, engineering, medicine, and religion.