Renée Gertler
Instagram: renee.gertler
Website: http://www.reneegertler.com
Bio: Renée Gertler was born in Santa Barbara, California to a Hungarian father and Dutch Mother she lives in Berkeley, California. Her drawings and sculptures explore ideas around metaphysical, psychological and emotional landscapes. She holds a BFA and MFA in Sculpture from The California College of Arts. She studied landscape architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate Studies of Design breifly. Her sculptures and installations have been exhibited at Southern Exposure, Eleanor Harwood Gallery, Et. al, and The Marin Moca. She has been awarded a Danish Arts Council Grant and artist residencies at the John Michael Kohler Arts/ Industry program, Spaces, Cleveland Ohio, Vermont Studio Center, Pilchuck School of Glass Emerging Artists Fellowship, The Macdowell Colony and Kala Art Institute.
Statement: This body of work is informed by my study of Cymatics and the pioneering efforts of Hans Jenny. My interest in Cymatics was sparked by working in a studio previously occupied by Viola Frey, whose energy and practices have profoundly influenced my creative process over the past seven years. Cymatics illustrates vibration and wave phenomena, and through this lens, I have developed sculptures and drawings that reflect these concepts. An ongoing exploration of my sculptures is inspired by Judy Chicago's observation that 80 percent of all public sculpture is phallic. In response, I aim to create sculptures that exist between traditional sculpture and architectural models representing the feminine. This collection examines themes of holding, receiving, and reflecting, inviting a conversation around alternative representations of femininity in art and occupying space.
