White Room: FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi

November 8–December 20, 2014 320 West 13th Street White Room
Black tubing appears from behind a grey wall with a lighter tube and mirror resting behind it. To the left of the mirror is a blue scalloped vase holding a white rose and to the right a metallic curvature sitting atop a grey shag rug hanging draped over the shelf. The backlit lighting from below is blue.

Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014

Detail shot of a blue scalloped vase and wilted white rose next to a circular mirror. In the background is a blue wall and shelf, to the left a grey shag rug covers the right side of the image.

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014

A narrow space painted with dark hues is bisected by bright blue translucent tubing snaking across the bottom half of the frame. Behind the tubing, a pile of white and brown textiles sits freestanding, about 3 feet high. To the left hangs a bulbous fixture and to the back, a black curve holds loosely draped fabric.

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014

Two blue walls create a corner where a light beam is affixed as a right angle, illuminating the bottom half of the frame. On the bottom left sits a blue tube leading to a small white sculpture. In the middle of the frame, a mirrored bulb hangs from the ceiling and is attached to a black circular tube with a wavy grey plasticine resting in its absence. On the right side of the frame, grey shag carpeting runs from floor to near-ceiling. A mirror rests atop the rug with a flower and silverine sculpture on either side.

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014

Press Release

White Columns is pleased to present the first gallery exhibition by New York jewelry designers FAUX/real. For their presentation, “Elegant Paranoia,” the designers bring together a selection of wearable items from their past collections, which have been discretely placed along side large sculptural works and found objects.Founded in 2009 by Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, FAUX/real have become known for their unconventional approach to materials and presentation, and their practice has expanded into home goods and collaborations with fashion designers and artists such as Anne Sophie Back and Matt Keegan. In their own words, FUAX/real  “walks the line between a number of creative fields – not fitting into one category, and eagerly accepted into many; celebrating freedom through ambiguity.” Ultimately FAUX/real do not consider themselves artists or designers, rather “object makers” – the purpose of those objects, “not yet realized, and for the time being they exist and are sold as jewelry.”From their Brooklyn studio the duo produces all of their lines in house and masterfully employs low-fi, low budget means to create most of FAUX/real’s press and marketing material. Humor being an important component of their work, lines are developed around mundane themes like “Subconscious SUPERMARKET”, and “neverbeentothebeach”. “It’s a broad approach to beauty found in the implication and surreal juxtaposition rather than in the pretty or precious, prompting a reconsideration of aesthetics not only for jewelry but also for practical industrial design and it’s sometimes unglamorous intentions.” (Jeremy Lewis)On the occasion of the exhibition FAUX/real will produce a new limited edition piece for White Columns. Please email info@whitecolumns.org for details.FAUX/real has been organized by Erin Somerville, White Columns’ Deputy Director and Curator.For more information contact: info@whitecolumns.org

Related Press

Black tubing appears from behind a grey wall with a lighter tube and mirror resting behind it. To the left of the mirror is a blue scalloped vase holding a white rose and to the right a metallic curvature sitting atop a grey shag rug hanging draped over the shelf. The backlit lighting from below is blue.
Detail shot of a blue scalloped vase and wilted white rose next to a circular mirror. In the background is a blue wall and shelf, to the left a grey shag rug covers the right side of the image.
A narrow space painted with dark hues is bisected by bright blue translucent tubing snaking across the bottom half of the frame. Behind the tubing, a pile of white and brown textiles sits freestanding, about 3 feet high. To the left hangs a bulbous fixture and to the back, a black curve holds loosely draped fabric.
Two blue walls create a corner where a light beam is affixed as a right angle, illuminating the bottom half of the frame. On the bottom left sits a blue tube leading to a small white sculpture. In the middle of the frame, a mirrored bulb hangs from the ceiling and is attached to a black circular tube with a wavy grey plasticine resting in its absence. On the right side of the frame, grey shag carpeting runs from floor to near-ceiling. A mirror rests atop the rug with a flower and silverine sculpture on either side.

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014 (Black tubing appears from behind a grey wall with a lighter tube and mirror resting behind it. To the left of the mirror is a blue scalloped vase holding a white rose and to the right a metallic curvature sitting atop a grey shag rug hanging draped over the shelf. The backlit lighting from below is blue.)

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014 (Detail shot of a blue scalloped vase and wilted white rose next to a circular mirror. In the background is a blue wall and shelf, to the left a grey shag rug covers the right side of the image.)

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014 (A narrow space painted with dark hues is bisected by bright blue translucent tubing snaking across the bottom half of the frame. Behind the tubing, a pile of white and brown textiles sits freestanding, about 3 feet high. To the left hangs a bulbous fixture and to the back, a black curve holds loosely draped fabric.)

FAUX/real: Louis DeCicco and Mari Ouchi, installation view, 2014 (Two blue walls create a corner where a light beam is affixed as a right angle, illuminating the bottom half of the frame. On the bottom left sits a blue tube leading to a small white sculpture. In the middle of the frame, a mirrored bulb hangs from the ceiling and is attached to a black circular tube with a wavy grey plasticine resting in its absence. On the right side of the frame, grey shag carpeting runs from floor to near-ceiling. A mirror rests atop the rug with a flower and silverine sculpture on either side.)