Philip J. Capuano: Ceramic Perspective

Linda Warren Projects is pleased to present its 2018 inaugural exhibitions: Eric Finzi, Various Contrivances (Gallery Y) and Philip J. Capuano, Ceramic Perspective (Gallery X & O). For both of these talented and prolific artists, materiality and its unpredictable nature marks a personal passage to an astonishing artistic practice that is both physically and mentally demanding. Whether it be Finzi’s catalytic reaction of resin and hardener or Capuano’s unforeseeable kilns firing, both artists tempt their fate to the alchemical qualities of their medium. It is here, in this place of failures, accidents, and creation, that each artist finds wild magic and a narrative that is truly their own. For Finzi, the resin’s uncontrolled nature and its power to fossilize paint illustrates and resonates with the life of Frida Kahlo, an icon whose own untamed spirit continues to anneal itself to our own collective culture. In the same vein, Capuano’s sculptures seek to amalgamate found objects with his own clay creations, exploring the ceramic process by which the material is manipulated and which often involves multiple attempts at firing, glazing, and assembly. Each sculpture manifests a visual language that references his own artistic evolution and spans over 40 years of craftsmanship.

Gallery X & O – Philip J. Capuano, Ceramic Perspective, a retrospective part two

Artist Philip J Capuano’s “Ceramic Perspective,” is part two of a 40-year retrospective exhibition at Linda Warren Projects (part one took place in February of 2015). Spanning two gallery spaces, the artist will showcase predominantly ceramic sculptures that have been part of his artistic practice throughout his career. His love for the medium has traversed a lifetime of epic battles. From the knee-high-snow of the Adirondacks of New York, where the artist built his own cabin and kiln, to the ceramic studios of south side Chicago where he meticulously and patiently repaired old sculptures. Capuano has wrestled legendary fires that birth his visionary sculptures. Inspired by his prophetic dreams and real life events, these metaphorical artworks stand in for and narrate Capuano’s many extraordinary lives, some of which include: competitive weightlifter, semi-pro baseball player, and professional astrologer. His astonishingly persistent and prolific practice incorporates functional and sculptural ceramics with found objects. Capuano’s affinity for the tchotchkes and vernacular ephemera of the world around him imbues his work with an “outsider” kind of aesthetic, though the “intuitive” nature of his pieces is balanced with highly trained, impeccable technique. His unwavering devotion for the medium continues to inspire, captivate, and inform his practice. Capuano embodies the true nature of fire…unpredictable, fierce, and rebellious.

Philip J. Capuano received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Maryland Institute of Art and his Masters Degree from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1977. Capuano tried out for the Chicago White Sox at the age of 31 and entered state and national weightlifting competitions at the age of 52. Throughout his extensive artistic career Capuano has exhibited in Chicago, Maryland, and New York state area.