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Gargoyles Viewing Room

Gargoyles

Ling-lin Ku and R. Eric McMaster
Curated by Allison Malinsky

November 24 - December 20, 2022

at La Mecánica

Working in tandem, Ling-lin Ku (Taiwan) and R. Eric McMaster (North America), create tangible, almost toylike in size, architectural elements stemming from reimagined workings of a city’s innards.  Sculptural objects in bronze, ceramic, plexiglass, and other materials each contain built-in sound pieces, accompanied by a video work. The artists´ material centric infrastructures embody humor, a lightness to natural aquatic problems a city systematically tries to contain.

 

This multimedia exhibition focuses on the connection between decorative myths and the utile purpose of city installation systems. The fun and appeal lie in the object´s inventive details; exquisitely hand built sculptures of aquatic forms and references which emit transitory sounds water could make on its journey through the interiors of a city on its way out to sea. 

 

The works foster a building narrative, water flow comes first going down the drains, and from the perceived safety of our homes, through a window, we see the streets fill. Gargoyles were thought to keep evil spirits away, a hopeful credence to counter real intertwined infrastructure and bureaucracy. What if there are no wave breakers, how do we climb out of the coming deep water, what shape does the water take and how is it measured, removed; Ku and McMaster respond with their collaborative character and humor. 

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Close up view of Floatsome (plexiglass puddles), 2022. Plexiglass, brass, brass-infused 3D prints, PLA 3D prints, aluminum.

80 x 50 x 12in (203 x 127 x 36 cm)

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Drained (rain charm), 2022. Brass. 94in x 40 in x 29in (239x102x74cm)

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Drained (rain charm), 2022. Brass. 94in x 40 in x 29in (239x102x74cm)

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Blocked (window box), 2022. Plywood, MDF, copper pipes, digital print on chiffon, Brass, single-channel audio and transducer, 24in x 30in x 7.5in (61x76x19cm)

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Close up view of Floatsome (plexiglass puddles), 2022. Plexiglass, brass, brass-infused 3D prints, PLA 3D prints, aluminum.

80 x 50 x 12in (203 x 127 x 36 cm)

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Floatsome (plexiglass puddles), 2022. Plexiglass, brass, brass-infused 3D prints, PLA 3D prints, aluminum.

80 x 50 x 12in (203 x 127 x 36 cm)

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UP (flood bug), 2022. MDF, Brass, transducer, 2-channel audio. 42 x 7.3 x 1.7 in. (106 x 18.5x 4.3 cm)

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Close up of UP (flood bug), 2022. MDF, Brass, transducer, 2-channel audio. 42 x 7.3 x 1.7 in. (106 x 18.5x 4.3 cm)

Wavebreakers, 2022

Wavebreakers, 2022

Play Video

Wavebreakers, 2022. 1080p animation w/ stereo sound, runtime: 8:00

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Water Wing, 2022. OSB, walnut, brass, with Wavebreakers animation behind.

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Water Wing, 2022. OSB, walnut, brass.

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Leap (pool ladder), 2022. aluminum tubing, PLA 3D prints, 3.13in x 23.65in x 70in (8x60x177cm)

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Plug, 2022. Brass (installed throughout gallery).

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Slurp, 2022. Brass, wood. 30cm with Wavebreakers animation behind.

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Slurp, 2022. Brass, wood. 30cm.

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Gargoyles Installation, 2022. 

Gargoyle Works