Exhibition | Thaddeus Erdahl: "Yes Sir No Sir This Way That" at Greenwich House | CFile

The Jane Hartsook Gallery at Greenwich House, recently presented the first the New York City solo exhibition for sculptor Thaddeus Erdahl, Yes Sir No Sir This Way That (New York Dec. 4, 2014 – Jan. 9. 2015). In the statement accompanying the exhibition Erdahl spoke of his commitment to narrative and myth:

Above image: Thaddeus Erdahl, Should Have Been (detail). Courtesy of the gallery.

When considering the murky reservoir of human history, it is difficult to separate legend from reality. Through my work, I examine human myth in the modern age, specifically on characters that emerge from our society’s underbelly; the less popular folk. Using their “legends”, I feel compelled to tell stories that illustrate analogies in life; blending together archetypes, shared experiences, and my own personal mythology. Who we are in the world is a kaleidoscope of interpretations, biased memories, and personal connections.

Thaddeus Erdahl, Should Have Been, 26 x 19 x 25 inches. Click to view larger image.

Ceramic sculpture and portraiture, in particular, are forms of a visual narration that I use to satisfy my urge for documenting what I see in human nature. Evocative of well-loved toys and obsolete artifacts, I use the implied history of these objects to encourage the viewer to disconnect from the present situation and conjure their own individual narratives from my sculptures.

Working with concepts that are personal and sometimes narcissistic perceptions of the gloomy side of life, dark humor is my buffer. Dry or irreverent, it is humor that mystifies the tragic.

Thaddeus (tj) Erdahl has exhibited and presented workshops and lectures nationally throughout the United States. Recently Thaddeus was awarded a one month Artist-in-Residency at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Denmark.

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