Art and Me

Texas born artist Andy Coolquitt has exhibited extensively throughout the US and Europe and is currently displaying his work in a second solo show on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. Coolquitt's style bypasses the control-freak tendencies of Minimalism, as his pieces seem to convey an appreciation of awkwardness and imperfection.


In his sculptures the artist uses found objects - such as broom handles, plastic straws, wire and light bulbs in creating unique objects with a "do-it-yourself" twist. Coolquitt focuses on color, a major redeeming factor of his work that give his pieces complexity and depth.


In his current exhibition, taking place at Lisa Cooley Gallery through June 27th, some of Coolquitt's sculptures are part of a hectic, aggressive installation in which most of the bars and rods lean against the wall, but some protrude from it or form a kind of barrier. Several of his pieces double as floor lamps or overhead lighting fixtures - mixing function and form. Coolquitt's playful nature is evident in his square-shaped wall relief upholstered in a soft pale-blue fabric. The piece, titled "A nice soft place for meeting people" brings what NY Times critic Karen Rosenberg refers to as a "warm and fuzzy side' to Minimalism.