Ellyn Weiss on Alan Binstock

In this post from her Gessohead blog, Ellyn Weiss describes the recent work of local sculptor Alan Binstock. An excerpt:

“Local glass sculptor Alan Binstock is having the kind of year we all dream about – his first museum show at the Katzen Center at American University in ongoing, gallery shows at the new Gallery 555 in downtown DC, doubtless more goodies showering down. Binstock is to be commended for taking the opportunity provided by being given the whole sculpture garden at the Katzen to move decisively into new territory with work that is a giant step up in scale and complexity.

Not that the outdoor space at the Katzen is entirely un-problematic. On the contrary, the large, wide-open expanse of concrete, hemmed in by very high walls, also concrete, is generally cold, hard and undifferentiated. It has defeated the efforts of some of Alan’s predecessors to incorporate it into the artwork. By simply accepting the challenge to go big and essentially disregarding the nature of the space itself, Binstock has made a wise decision.

The exhibit is called ‘Way Stations’, referring to the places where a traveler stops to rest and reflect during the course of a journey. The metaphor is pretty obvious but apt, nonetheless. Binstock, an architect and a yogi, works at NASA and has long been fascinated by the imagery of intergalactic travel. These works, though, speak to me more of a love for the materials themselves, for the clarity and light of the glass and the strength of the steel.”

Click here to read the complete post. To view American University’s webpage detailing the exhibit, go here.

Image in the post is Binstock’s Wayfinder, from Weiss’s post.