While the Hudson Valley abounds with sculpture parks that showcase large-scale public works, there isn’t much dedicated space for three-dimensional artists creating on a more intimate scale. With the recent opening of Olive Branch Studio & Gallery in Olivebridge, Don Kenly and Gülnar Babayeva hope to change that.
Babayeva, whose mission as an artist has been to make figurative sculpture visible and adequately represented in local galleries, worked with Kenly to hone the direction of the gallery as one that could showcase artists working in three dimensions, while creating new opportunities for exhibiting sculpture locally (including figurative works) and highlighting local and regional sculptors.
After two years of renovations, the 1,200-square-foot Olive Branch Studio & Gallery officially opened with its first invitational sculpture exhibition “The Other Dimension" on July 9. The show, curated by Babayeva, highlights the work of seven contemporary artists working in the region whose artistic practice primarily or partially focuses on creating three-dimensional works of fine art or blurs the lines between the second and the third dimensions.
“Everyone who has visited us since the show opened says how much the community really needed this space,” Kenly says.
Pieces in the show include freestanding marble animal sculptures by Philip Monteleoni; bronze and marble torso abstractions by Casey Schwarz; figure-inspired patinated steel sculptures and relief prints by Alex Kveton; ceramic torso-vessel and standing figure by Marie Mastronardo; history-inspired portraits by Don Kenly; contemplative figurative sculptures by Gülnar Babayeva; and includes new, large-scale, wall-mounted sculptural shaped paper works by Iain Machell.
“The Other Dimension” is on view at Olive Branch Studio & Gallery in Olivebridge until Sunday, August 28, with a closing reception planned for the last day from 5 to 8pm. The studio will also be offering upcoming observational figure sculpting sessions with live models.
Olive Branch Studio & Gallery
Olivebridge NY 12461
