Material Persuasions

About

Launch LA is pleased to present Material Persuasions featuring the seductively tactile work of Victoria May and Valerie Wilcox. May and Wilcox manipulate and combine humble and salvaged materials cast off from the continual stream of human consumption. Both artists share an interest in the stories behind the materials they find and their vulnerability to forces beyond our control. Past functions and histories become playfully re-contextualized—and in doing so, address the struggle for status in the face of inevitable human fallibility.

The respective processes of May and Wilcox take inspiration from a range of construction methods, from sewing to building, while allowing the inherent patina and decay of a found object or material to add layers of meaning to the work. While the two artists approach the actual creation of their work differently, they both deftly blend intent with accident. Elements such as salvaged wood and rubber transcend their base materiality and reflect an optimism in society's ability to reinvent itself.