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Orli Swergold

In the Muck and the Mire

Abstract

At the core of my practice lies my fascination with my body; how much space I take up, how close I am to others, how much distance exists between us. I explore states of intimacy and alienation through objects that bridge the gap between human embodiment and otherness. Color is a tool for me to build an uncanny world that approximates yet diverges from our own. Faded nostalgic palettes harken back to childhood play, while colors associated with the feminine, innards, flesh, and bodily functions tether my works to the corporeal. Together, these elements create hybrid color schemes that teeter between the celestial and earthly spheres.

My works, often made out of paper pulp, exude a hyper physicality and an expanded sense of self. Through organic material, I create painting-sculptures that live and breathe with their surroundings. Intestinal forms, sensual mounds, and bony outgrowths recall bodies (both familiar and foreign), while textured surfaces create fields of time, space, and color. As amorphous growths and biomorphic beings, they adapt to their environment while existing in a constant state of controlled chaos. 

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Humor, Friendship

Paper pulp on metal

62"x57"

2021

 

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Humor, Humor

Paper pulp on metal

60"x46"

2021

 

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Humor, Nature, Family

Paper pulp on metal

92"x86"

2021

 

Large Works on Paper

Crayon and Watercolor on Paper

57"x44"

2021

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Humor, Family

Paper pulp and muslin on metal

57"x44"

2021

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Time, Nature, and Another Dimension

Paper pulp on metal

43"x53"

2021

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Humor, Rationality

Paper pulp on metal

39"x48"

2021

Small Works on Paper

Crayon and Watercolor on Paper

9"x12"

2021