Matilde Alessandra: Modern Wonder

Leila Heller Gallery is pleased to present Modern Wonder, the gallery’s first collaboration with New York artist Matilde Alessandra. Two new dynamic light sculptures entitled Modern Wonder will be on view, along with one of the artist’s most iconic works, Madame, from January 15 through March 22, 2014 at the Gallery’s 11th Avenue Windows space.

Alessandra is known for her dazzling light sculptures. The singular use of fluorescent tubes permeates in all of her works, spanning from sculpture and industrial design to site-specific installations. Alessandra’s light pieces are like abstract dioramas, minimalist tableaux that exist independently from their surroundings, glowing from within. Inside them, light dialogues and relates with forms, materials and painted surfaces; it plays a catalyst role in making the picture appear in its finished state, yet it is constantly subjected to the other elements of the work.

Modern Wonder was created specifically for the windows of Leila Heller Gallery. While the title is selfexplanatory, the basis of these works is the visual similarity between the two words and the false impression that they are anagrams mirroring each other – hence the flickering colors, the upsidedown W that becomes an M – using the notion that our eyes can trick us, jumping ahead of our minds. Madame, an iconic piece from the artist's earlier series, plays with the concept of peeping and voyeuristic pleasure.

Matilde Alessandra lives and works in New York City. Trained at Venice Academy of Fine Arts, she has been working with light since the late 90's and has built a reputation as both an artist and designer. She has exhibited in Milan, New York, Paris, Lyon, Antwerp, Brussels, Oslo, London and, most recently, in Venice for the occasion of the 55th Biennale of Art.