Ursula von Rydingsvard

In her sixth solo exhibition at Galerie Lelong, Ursula von Rydingsvard will present three new monumental works that exemplify the artist as a sculptor in full command of her craft, further developing the vocabulary that she has so thoroughly honed: abstract, architectural forms composed of accretions of wood. Each of the three works—Droga, Unraveling, and Blackened Word—is tightly composed around a structured center and unfurls into a more complex, expansive configuration. ERRĀTUS, “wandering” or “roaming” in Latin—will open to the public on March 18 from 6 to 8 pm, and the artist will be present.

One of von Rydingsvard’s recurrent themes is the juxtaposition of organic and structural forms, transforming massive undertakings of carving and building with dense materials into elegant figures expressive of movement and gesture. Roughly cut pieces of cedar are joined and form an intricate, sensual surface. von Rydingsvard’s figures often allude to everyday objects found in the home, such as a bowl, bonnet, or staircase—simple, universal pieces that are deeply imbued with humanity.

For ERRĀTUS, von Rydingsvard has created three epic works in cedar, each remarkable in its vast scale and vision. Droga rises up from the floor, unfolding into rhythmic waves. Under von Rydingsvard’s hand, the cedar feels fluid, like fabric. In Blackened Word, slight tracings serve as the foundation for a nearly seven-foot tall freestanding structure—the tentative handwriting of an elderly woman was laid on the floor, from which von Rydingsvard built upward to create a towering, undulating wall.