The artist-run, contemporary pop-up gallery Paperweight will celebrate its first exhibition this weekend at the Navy Yard in North Charleston. Paperweight is a highly anticipated, locally-focused project created by four artists: ceramicist and floral designer Sonny Sisan; painter Emily Furr; painter, sculptor and curator, Mat Duncan; and Leigh Sabisch, who paints, makes prints and organizes the Charleston Zine Fest.
Paperweight’s first show, All of the Above, features work by the founding foursome and invites a conversation between artistic mediums. The exhibition will use ceramics, painting and artworks that defy categorization to explore how “personal histories, collective memory and embodied rituals shape understanding of the present moment,” according to a press release.
There’s an opening reception at the new event space Noble Studios, 2130 N. Hobson Blvd., (which is within the naval base) from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22. Can’t make the opening? Viewing hours run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday to see the first show from a gallery that defines itself as “contemporary art for all.”
Creative connections
All of the Above will not only deliver conversation between artistic mediums, but reveal the value of collaboration between artists, too. It makes sense, considering the gallery is run by four artists who are working together to pull off a creative project.
“The opportunity to join forces with such talented artists — Sonny, Emily and Leigh — has been transformative,” Duncan said. “To me, All of the Above represents not just an exhibition, but a milestone in the evolution of my creative process.
“Working on Paperweight has expanded my conception of how different artistic mediums and individual perspectives can come together to influence each other, and in doing so, create something greater than the sum of its parts. … I think that the idea of a dialogue or convergence between painting, sculpture and ceramics is a growing theme in contemporary art and this exhibition reflects that in a beautiful and thoughtful way.”
Duncan’s imaginative paintings take inspiration from ecology, intimacy and alienation. They often depict bugs, flowers, distant horizons, magic doors, comets and mysterious figures.
“Working alongside artists who are constantly pushing the boundaries of their media and subject matter has taken my interest in those themes and my handling of them to another level,” he said.
He is also the curator behind MUSC’s Arts in Healing program, and shared that he believes All of the Above is a testament to his core belief that art has the power to “challenge and heal.”
Furr, an oil painter who pushes into sculptural territory, said the sense of connectivity is the driving force of not only this exhibition, but also the Paperweight project as a whole.
“I remember our first big meeting,” she said. “We were all in the studio space, sipping wine in cups from Sonny’s studio and just buzzing over the possibilities of making a creative space for contemporary art. And just doing a big adventure together as a team. … The inspired what-if’s of exciting possibilities for this project just kept flowing.”
Sisan runs two distinct yet harmonious creative practices – making ceramic works at his studio in the Navy Yard and designing florals. And Sabisch, an artist and an arts organizer, said her “true passion comes from curating opportunities for others to grow.”
This first exhibition, which explores genre-defying artwork, creative collaboration and the influence of community on creative practices, sets the tone for future shows at Paperweight, the team said, promising “continued exploration of how art can challenge traditional definitions, invite cross-disciplinary dialogues and engage the viewer in co-creating meaning.”
To stay up to date, check out @_paperweight on Instagram.
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