Whether they’re teeth or a quadrupled epiglottis, the line of metal balls in each of these three mouth sculptures by Julie Bena suggests ways in which language might follow Newton’s laws. If each of these joyous, dismayed or just loud mouths spoke, would their words have a momentum that wouldn’t diminish? How would the energy of each person’s thoughts change form as it manifested in each individual? (At Chapter NY as part of the multi-gallery group exhibition Condo New York. Chapter is hosting Adams and Ollman).
Julie Bena, installation view at Chapter NY, July, 2018. Foreground: 3 Mouths Are Largely Enough (Hearthy), powder coated metal, 8 ¾ x 11 x 2 ¾ inches, 2017.
Merrily Kerr is an art critic and writer based in New York. For more than 20 years, Merrily has published in international art magazines including Time Out New York, Art on Paper, Flash Art, Art Asia Pacific, Art Review, and Tema Celeste in addition to writing catalogue essays and guest lecturing. Merrily teaches art appreciation at Marymount Manhattan College and has taught for Cooper Union Continuing Education.
For more than a decade Merrily has crafted personalized tours of cultural discovery in New York's galleries and museums for individuals and groups, including corporate tours, collectors, artists, advertising agencies, and student groups from Texas Woman's University, Parsons School of Design, Chicago's Moody Institute, Cooper Union Continuing Education, Hunter College Continuing Education and other institutions. Merrily's tours have been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Sydney Morning Herald and Philadelphia Magazine.
Merrily is licensed by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs as a tour guide and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA USA)
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