William Graef

For The Record  (Timepieces)

 

“Mr. Graef’s wall-mounted sculptures are enlargements of familiar disposable items like receipts, labels and product wrappers. In the irreverent spirit of a Pop artist, he renders the small flimsy items as large zinc plaques. No longer can they be crumpled up and tossed away carelessly. Having acquired monumental proportions and material permanence, they now have to be confronted and reckoned with.”

         -- Helen A. Harrison The New York Times

 

“Graef examines the ubiquitous and fading presence of valueless mass-produced labels and tokens of identifications attached to commonplace commodities or services. He turns ephemeral pieces of paper into disintegrating icons. These representations of temporary custody, claimers or disclaimers, are partially perforated, eaten away sites/sights of cultural artifacts. Both solid and fragile they draw our attention to those millions of “invisible” endlessly reproduced forms of exchange in late 20th Century culture.”

         -- Therese Lichenstein Director, Amelie A. Wallace Gallery