FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Grace Meils; [email protected]
November at the Traver Gallery – Seattle
Davide Salvadore: Melodia Fantasiosa
Claes Uvesten: Sentient
Exhibition Dates: November 7 - 30, 2008
Opening Reception: First Thursday, November 6, 5 – 8 pm
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Claes Uvesten: Sentient
The Traver Gallery is pleased to introduce Swedish artist
Claes Uvesten in his first exhibition in Seattle. Sentient
presents a selection of the artist’s startlingly expressive,
figurative cast glass sculptures. Presented together, this
impressive collection of heads and busts resembles a family
made up of unique characters – each individual with their
own alluring set of peculiarities and oddities.
“The human face is one of the oldest motifs in art history,”
writes Bo Madestrand on Claes Uvesten’s work. “When we
stand before a Roman portrait bust, we can look into the eyes
of the old emperor and feel an immediate connection to the
past. Things change, but people remain the same.”
The unruly descendents of a long line of sculptural portraits,
Uvesten’s work addresses the question: how can a
contemporary piece convey the same sense of dignity as a
classical Roman bust? He answers with a series of striking, post-apocalyptic figures that call
to mind contemporary cultural icons such as Mad Max. Part Sid Vicious and part Gaius
Julius Ceasar, Uvesten’s work vibrates with life and energy – icons of our time, but with their
roots in antiquity.
Claes Uvesten began his career in glass as an apprentice at Orrefors, Sweden’s most
prestigious glass factory. His earlier experience working with more traditional sculptural
media helped him to pick up glass working techniques quickly and adapt them to suit his
conceptual goals. Uvesten has shown his work in solo and group shows throughout Europe
and Mexico, and his work is included in the collections of several museums and art councils
in Sweden.
Located one block north of the Seattle Art Museum, the Traver Gallery is one of the country’s premier exhibition spaces for
contemporary studio glass, painting, sculpture, and installation art. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday 10 – 6, Saturday 10 – 5,
and Sunday 12 – 5. For more information, please call (206) 587-6501 or visit our website at www.travergallery.com.