MOdels
Ben Godward
131 Chrystie, New York, NY
April 19, 2024 – May 18, 2024
Quaalude Queries, 2022, urethane resin, 90 x 6 x 6 in
Cosmic Inflation, (Birth of the Universe or Why My Horoscope is Always Right), 2023, urethane resin, 72 x 72 x 12 in
Quantum Foam, 2024, urethane resin, 30x 30 x 10 in
Ooohhhohhhlaaaa Olaalala (as sung by Pete Doherty "In Love With a Feeling"), 2024, urethane resin, 30x 30 x 10 in
Ooooh Oooh Ohhh, (as sung by Paul McCartney and Wings "Jet"), 2023, urethane resin, 54 x 52 x 10 in
Spooky Action at a Distance, 2022, urethane resin, 32 x 6 x 6 in
Theres Something Wrong With Our Eyes (bell inequities), 2024, steel & resin, 84 x 16 x 60 in
So Sophisticated, So LA, 2024, steel & resin, 18 x 112 x 48 in
Today’s science provides quite a lean picture of time as a mere geometric evolution parameter. I argue that time is much richer. In particular, I argue that besides the geometric time, there is creative time, when objective chance events happen. — Nicolas Gisin
The Front is pleased to present Models, a solo exhibition by Ben Godward. Godward’s projections extend from the wall like the energy released in an explosion. Godward's sculptures, often titled after non-lexical vocable lyrics like Roger Plant’s intro to "Immigrant Song", evoke an iconic sound without a concrete definition, inviting viewers into a realm of sensory experience beyond words. The edges are a liminal place, often seeming not to be the “end” of the work, but the suggestion of an expansive space. The material’s transference of color and light lends the work to going beyond itself, making it difficult to determine where the work actually exists.
The large steel and resin sculptures presented in Models propose actions and vectors on a bodily scale, with angular shapes that reference ancient Neolithic stones and the primal simplicity of tools. The contrast of steel and urethane highlights the formal tensions between these contrasting materials, inviting contemplation on the intersections of tradition and innovation.
Ben Godward was born in Indianapolis, grew up in St. Louis, MO and received his B.F.A. at Alfred University and an M.F.A. in Sculpture from the University at Albany. Godward currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. His work has been exhibited extensively throughout New York, including notable venues such as Transmitter, Scully-Tomasko Foundation, and Socrates Sculpture Park. Godward's sculptures have garnered critical acclaim and have been featured in various publications, including Hyperallergic, Sculpture Magazine, and The Brooklyn Rail.