Sanford Biggers’ exhibition “Back to the Stars,” currently on view at moniquemeloche, is an opportunity to relish in the unwavering longevity, challenging interrogation, and persevering inspiration of the artist’s career. Biggers’ fourth solo exhibition at the gallery includes eight new works that further represent his skillful ability to marry sublime craftsmanship, an undeniable eye for composition, and energizing probes of social and cultural conversations.
Made of antique quilts, birch plywood and gold leaf, “Venus Sutra” inhales the viewer in a single breath as a three-dimensional quilted structure blossoms outward from the wall. The work takes shape as a contorted minuscule detail from a honeycomb that is extracted, stretched and pinned for dissection. Each plane within the piece is wallpapered with taut quilted fabric. The pattern of the quilt takes on its own dimensional dance as the triangular shapes intermingle both seamlessly and disjointedly with one another, depending on the positioning of the viewer. The prismatic cubbies become rooms to navigate as the plywood lays as a blueprint. The familiar and comforting quilted fabric is underscored and mocked by the sharp corners stabbing the space enveloping the piece. “Venus Sutra” welcomes the viewer with a cup of tea, but not without the buzzing anxiety that it can snap shut in an instant.
