American sculptor Nadia Yaron's first solo exhibition For the flowers and the clouds and the wind and the trees showcases a new body of work inspired by her deep connection with nature. The exhibition takes place at Rosa Park’s recently launched Francis Gallery LA, and features 31 sculptures made of wood, stone, and metal. The sculptures vary in size and shape, ranging from large totemic works over 6 feet high and weighing 1,000 pounds to talismanic miniature sculptures that can fit in the palm of your hand.
Images: Nadia Yaron at Francis Gallery L.A. Photographer Credit: Elizabeth Carababas
Following a move to Hudson, NY, Yaron repurposed a 19th-century barn as her studio and developed a strong connection with her setting. “As I was making these pieces, I realized I was in the middle of one long love affair with my surroundings: the flowers, the clouds, the wind and the trees,” she says. “I work mostly outside from spring to autumn and am immersed in nature. This show is a tribute, a way to say thank you to these elements for their beauty and wisdom and all the joy they bring to our lives.”
Images: Nadia Yaron Studio. Photography: Sharon Radisch
Taking daily walks in the Catskill Mountains, Yaron relishes discovering subtle moments in nature that act as a gentle reminder of impermanence. She finds the first flowers pushing themselves up from under the snow in the spring to be magical and powerful, inspiring her stone sculptures called First Bloom. Yaron's work includes carved clouds, inspired by the constantly changing Hudson skies, which have left an impression on her. She spends a lot of time contemplating the concept of transience and reflects on how humans often resist change.
Images: Nadia Yaron at Francis Gallery L.A. Photographer Credit: Elizabeth Carababas
Yaron's sculptures consist of stacked totemic forms that hold themselves in delicate equilibrium, with the heaviest piece of stone at the top. Purposefully imperfect and imbalanced, they evoke a sense of discomfort, dissonance, and a reminder of the fragility of life. Carving stone is a laborious process that requires patient and repetitive motions with hand tools to shape the unyielding material into curves and other forms. “I am deeply inspired by the beauty inherent in each piece of stone and wood I work with,” says Yaron. “As I’m carving, I feel as if I’m tapping into the history of our earth – it’s almost like a translation of ancient texts. It’s the recognition of something deeply known. I can feel the energy translated through my materials. If I empty myself enough, I can feel that energy move through me and out of my hands back into the material. It’s a circular flow of energy.”
For Yaron, spending time with nature has taught her that we are all connected and that it has much to teach us if we take the time to listen. She aims to inspire others to take care of and protect nature by sharing her own profound connection with it through her sculptures.
Images: Nadia Yaron at Francis Gallery L.A. Photography: Elizabeth Carababas
About Francis Gallery
Francis Gallery supports and promotes the work of more than 25 artists across two spaces, in Bath, UK, and Los Angeles, US. In both locations, the gallery presents work in a grounding setting, where art coexists in harmony with its surroundings, evoking a personal space that celebrates art as a vital part of daily living. The gallery curates innovative exhibitions across multiple media and genres, with programming that emphasises contemporary Korean art and design, drawing on founder and gallery director Rosa Park’s Korean heritage.
