Known Unknown a survey of new work by Rogan Gregory at R & Company
13 September - 22 October ‘18
R & Company is thrilled to announce Known Unknown a survey of new work by Rogan Gregory. This is Rogan’s second solo exhibition with the gallery and takes place at the 64 White Street location in the three story atrium and lower level gallery. This iambic title Known Unknown provokes a discussion of the dichotomy between juxtaposing states of reality. For this exhibition, Rogan draws inspiration from biological, geological and extraterrestrial forms he discovers in his travels. The study of sea life, fluid dynamics and geology, have been a leading influence for Rogan’s practice and has triggered his interest in how form is governed by weightlessness and neutral buoyancy. For this exhibition, Rogan channeled his interest in the unknown, drawing references from the cosmos and how extraterrestrials are personified in pop culture. This exploration has led to a series of sculptural works that examine themes of morphology through their fluidity and organic process of creation.
A central focus in Rogan’s rigorous practice is his inherent relationship to material, technique and innovation. Rogan pairs classic sculptural mediums such as wood, bronze and stone with materials such as beach sand, igneous rocks and composite materials that he sources and creates. The contrast of polished technology with anthropomorphic pigmentation define the subtle palette of the show with bronze, stainless steel, natural woods, raw resin and bright terrazzo. Often working by hand in his studio in the tradition of the masters, Rogan’s organic approach to sculpting has resulted in a series of romantic works that are surreal yet familiar. Rogan often questions the idea of utility in his practice and his work spans the spectrum from useful to useless. Merging both contemporary sculpture and design, Rogan simultaneously creates practical tools and abstract forms that question our perception of function and utility.
Known Unknown is an immersive installation spanning from the top level of the gallery down three stories to the lower level. The poetic and tactile approach to Rogan’s designs function as a fundamental part of the visitor experience. The exhibition considers all sensory experiences and invites people to interact with the individual pieces. Suspended from the ceiling on the top floor is a constellation of amorphic light sculptural forms that cascade down a 40 foot drop and float weightlessly in the air over the subterranean gallery level. Immersed in the lower gallery are biomorphic lights that resemble mystified extraterrestrials and illuminate when they are touched as well as a series of carved wooden furniture in irregular forms. Installed on the wall is a monumental climbing wall made out of bronze, resin and stone. Together the relationship of Rogan’s designs creates an environment that encourages visitors to explore the known and question the unknown.
