After the Party | Steel, Wood, and Gilding: The Memory and Architecture of Celebration
Found object assemblage, referred to as the democratization of art, is essentially the art of "seeing" and “interpretation” rather than just "making."
Dimensions: 21 5/8” x 13 3/8” x 4 3/4”
Components & Materials: Wood wine crate, internal supports, metallic gold paint, flat black acrylic, satin polyurethane, hand-cut steel nails.
Shipping: Ellenbogen Gallery will contact the collector to make shipping arrangements upon request. Shipping fees will be charged separately.
After the Party is a ready-made artwork prioritizing the idea of ceremony over the “found object.” The wine, the bottles, the corks, and the guests are long gone. The old-world, wood case and its internal structure—once hidden stabilizers for a luxurious vintage wine—are freed from their purpose and reordered into a complex, non-linear lattice. Set within a light-absorbing space, these gilded geometries suggest elegance: a captured echo of last night’s party. The natural wood exterior is punctuated by disciplined rows of hand-cut steel nails rising from the grain like a rhythmic, tactile armor, guarding the memory within.
This sculpture is a reflection of the "afterlife" of celebration. The gilded, skeletal architecture of the interior is guarded by a disciplined, tactile exterior of protruding steel. After the Party explores the tension between the memory of an actual or imagined event and the fortress we build to contain it.
Follow the link to view more images, read about the creative process and, if you feel that After-the-Party belongs in your home, purchase this one-of-a-kind sculpture.
Process Notes
* The Reclaimed Lattice: The original wood supports were deconstructed and reassembled into a randomized structure. This "ordered chaos" transforms functional bracing into a complex, light-catching interior.
* The Gilded Interior: By applying a metallic gold finish to the raw wood, the interior shifts from a hidden utility to a luminous, sacred space. The gold emphasizes a theatrical brilliance—a "dressed up" interior that mimics the opulence of celebration while remaining anchored in its simple, wooden origins.
* A Tactile Cadence: The exterior grain is preserved with a satin seal and punctuated by the rhythmic application of hand-cut steel nails. Protruding slightly, they create a protective "staccato" that invites the eye but cautions the touch—one is reminded of the heavy doors sealing the entrances to castles and fortresses.
* The Shadow-Box Depth: The interior surfaces were treated with a flat, light-absorbing black to create an infinite depth, allowing the gold structure to float without a visible horizon.
