IRL OBJECTS
NICK LENKER
March 15 – April 20, 2024
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Philadelphia artist, Nick Lenker applies found imagery to the surface of his geometric ceramic objects, which include references to his personal relationships through the visual language of video games and 3D modeling. The solo exhibition will include 35 works from the Philadelphia artist’s series IRL Objects, touching on imagery from fairy tales, role-playing games, biblical stories, and everyday objects. In this series, Lenker discusses identity and isolation in a world of avatars: where do the lines get drawn between the “irl” self and the virtual self? How does one influence the other? How do we seek real connection in a convenient, yet disconnected, landscape?
SKINLESS, 2017. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 22.5 x 5 x 6 inches (CUSTOM WALL MOUNT).
LEAD ARROW, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 17.75 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches.
THE BEHOLDER, 2017. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 13.5 x 11.5 x 3.5 inches (WALL MOUNTABLE).
BLUE CANDLE (Mr. Thick), 2021. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 10.5 x 9.5 x 12 inches.
BONNET (Alice), 2019. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 14 x 14.5 x 7 inches.
![[SOLD] KNOWLEDGE, 2016.
Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster,
9 x 7.5 x 2 inches (OPENS AS BOX).](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fcd0aa68a6527414893a850/a6ded885-b518-4c26-90a8-b14d5f828527/Lenker_IRLObjects-Book-03.jpg)
[SOLD] KNOWLEDGE, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 9 x 7.5 x 2 inches (OPENS AS BOX).
ROSES FOR EURYDICE, 2020. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 16 x 15.5 x 12 inches.
NOT MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, 2020. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, Oil Paint, 17 x 17 x 20.25 inches.
IONIC, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 5.5 x 5.5 x 27.75 inches.
CROWN (Fool), 2017. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 8.5 x 8.5 x 9 inches.
GAZER, 2019. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 6.5 x 7 x 13.5 inches.
PITFALL (Unite or Die), 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, 20 x 19 x 14 inches.
RED DRAGON (the hoarder), 2021. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, Wood, 18 x 18 x 26 inches.
EXILE (low power), 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, 20 x 9.5 x 14 inches.
KINDLE (Blood Island), 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 10.5 x 10.5 x 15 inches.
FIRE FLOWER 2, 2019. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Hardware, 10 x 10 x 26 inches.
BEAUTY, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 10.5 x 9 x 14 inches.
GRAIL, 2020. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 6 x 6 x 12 inches.
GREEN MUSHROOM (extra life), 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, 17 x 8.5 x 7 inches.
MARCH HARE, 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 20 x 12 x 26.5 inches.
HOURGLASS (fate), 2017. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 8 x 8 x 13 inches.
RELAXATION, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 18 x 2.5 x 6 inches.
BRIGHTER LIGHT (Night Bird), 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 13.5 x 1.75 x 9.75 inches (WALL MOUNTABLE).
JOCK (fem), 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 15 x 11 x 4 inches (WALL MOUNTABLE).
![[SOLD] POISON MUSHROOM, 2022.
Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster,
Epoxy, Gold Leaf, 10 x 7 x 6 inches.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fcd0aa68a6527414893a850/32274b7f-14f6-4a83-98c2-26434427b5b9/Lenker_IRLObjects-RedBlackMushroom-11.jpg)
[SOLD] POISON MUSHROOM, 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, 10 x 7 x 6 inches.
ROBIN HOOD, 2020. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 20 x 13 x 8.5 inches.
HEIRLOOM, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 10.5 x 5.5 x 13.5 inches.
SLITHER, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 31 x 7 x 1.25 inches (WALL MOUNTABLE).
WEB WEAVER, 2017. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 9 x 8 x 9 inches.
GREEN MUSHROOM (extra life), 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, Gold Leaf, 17 x 8.5 x 7 inches.
SWALLOWTAIL, 2020. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 15 x 9.5 x 3.5 inches (WALL MOUNTABLE).
SWORD, 2016. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, 25 x 8.75 x 1 inches.
LIGHT (Search), 2017. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 26 x 9.5 x 9.5 inches (CUSTOM WALL MOUNT).
JOCK (masc), 2022. Ceramic, Custom Ceramic Decals, Luster, Epoxy, 15 x 12 x 3.5 inches (WALL MOUNTABLE).
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Nick Lenker holds an MFA from Tyler School of Art at Temple University and a BFA from University of the Arts with a Ceramics focus. In 2021, he completed a residency at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. In 2019, Lenker completed the courtyard commission for Project HOME’s most recent project, the Gloria Casarez Residence (an LGBT-focused homelessness-prevention project). In 2020, Lenker had a solo exhibition at the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum. He was included in the international exhibition of ceramic art for Art Macau in Macau, China, as well as in the Korean International Ceramics Biennale, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, in 2021. Lenker’s work is included in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Alfred University’s Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, New York, as well as in numerous private collections.