CORY FUHR, "Mechanical Odyssey," Nov 1 to Dec 4, 2008, Sopa Fine Arts, Kelowna

×

Expand

unknown

"Cory Fuhr with Mechanical Odyssey"

Cory Fuhr, with steel sculpture from "Mechanical Odyssey."

CORY FUHR, Mechanical Odyssey

Sopa Fine Arts, Kelowna

Nov 1 to Dec 4, 2008

By Jill Sawyer

There’s a touch of Metropolis, Frankenstein, and the imagination of sci fi writer Phillip K. Dick running through the life-size humanoid steel sculptures of Vernon-based artist Cory Fuhr. At first glance, his meticulously crafted metallic men and women have the hollow-eyed look of robots, with the chromed sheen of the future. A closer look, and a conversation with the artist, reveals a more human, emotional framework to the steel. “It’s a subtle thing,” he says about shaping the medium into recognizable human gestures and expressions. “The form of the piece could express a quietness or a sadness. It juxtaposes with the industrial elements I’m using, but it also has grace and beauty.” Working out of a converted barn originally built by his grandfather, Fuhr’s work has been recognized internationally — most recently he had a sculpture that figured prominently in the Disney movie The Last Mimzy. But the work is not only labour-intensive — there are an average of 160 pieces welded into just the face — it can be challenging to communicate true human gestures and internal anatomy to viewers. The human form is one of the most recognizable forms in nature, he says, so everyone knows if he’s got it right.

Represented by: Sopa Fine Arts, Kelowna; Engine Gallery, Toronto.