Project Room: Magdalena Suarez Frimkess

March 4–April 19, 2014
Ten hand-built ceramics are arranged on a white shelf, mixing together figurative and abstract designs. Vessels of various colors and shapes are on the left and a white-ground teapot, plate, and handheld mirror are on the far-right.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

Two adjacent white walls, with a shelf of ten hand-built ceramics on the left wall and a framed mixed media work on the right.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

Five hand-built ceramic vases with unique colorations are arranged on a white shelf. They each have bodies shaped like a human head and painted facial features and hair.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

Four colorful hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures of different sizes are arranged on a white shelf. Left to right, the figures appear to be Minnie Mouse, a squat orange cat, Olive Oyl, and a doll inspired by Japanese figurines.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

An image angled from above shows five ceramic vessels arranged in two rows on a white shelf. Each is uniquely shaped and decorated, with motifs ranging from geometric patterns, a hunt scene, a Matisse-inspired nude, Olive Oyl, and poetry.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

Twenty ceramic dishes are hung on a white wall. All have a rough, rounded shape, but vary in size. There are figurative, abstract, floral, and pop cultural motifs.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

Ten hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures on a white shelf are arranged in three rows. They resemble characters from popular culture, notably Minnie Mouse, Olive Oyl, and Little Lulu, as well as Japanese dolls and a cat.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

A framed mixed media work with a central image of Wonder Woman surrounded by various doodles, including Felix the Cat, a tank, and pre-Columbian figurative designs.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014

A handmade ceramic vessel sits on a white shelf. A thin glaze of light blue constitutes the background and several unique cartoonish figures are arranged sequentially in the foreground.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess
Bringing up Father, 2013
Ceramic
8 × 6 in.

A handmade ceramic teapot with a white ground. Figures referencing Pre-Columbian cultures and Western cartoons are painted in the foreground using black and red outlines.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess
Pre Columbian (Maya) Tea Pot w/ Katzenjammer angel, 2013
Ceramic
10 × 9 in.

Press Release

White Columns is proud to present the first New York solo exhibition by the Venice, CA-based artist Magdalena Suarez Frimkess. Now in her mid 80s Frimkess’s work has only recently become the subject of wider interest in the contemporary art world. The exhibition has been organized in collaboration with Karin Gulbran who introduced White Columns to the work of Magdalena Suarez Frimkess (and her husband and occasional collaborator Michael Frimkess) in 2012. Originally from Venezuela, Magdalena moved to Chile at age 18, and was described in Art in America in 1962 as “the most daring sculptor working in Chile.” She subsequently moved to the United States where she has continued to develop one of the most idiosyncratic bodies of both sculptural and functional ceramic work. Absorbing and exploring a diverse range of influences including various forms of folk art, comic books and animation Suarez Frimkess’ work will be featured alongside that of her husband Michael in the forthcoming Hammer Museum’s ‘Made in LA 2014’ Biennial.

Checklist

Ten hand-built ceramics are arranged on a white shelf, mixing together figurative and abstract designs. Vessels of various colors and shapes are on the left and a white-ground teapot, plate, and handheld mirror are on the far-right.
Two adjacent white walls, with a shelf of ten hand-built ceramics on the left wall and a framed mixed media work on the right.
Five hand-built ceramic vases with unique colorations are arranged on a white shelf. They each have bodies shaped like a human head and painted facial features and hair.
Four colorful hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures of different sizes are arranged on a white shelf. Left to right, the figures appear to be Minnie Mouse, a squat orange cat, Olive Oyl, and a doll inspired by Japanese figurines.
An image angled from above shows five ceramic vessels arranged in two rows on a white shelf. Each is uniquely shaped and decorated, with motifs ranging from geometric patterns, a hunt scene, a Matisse-inspired nude, Olive Oyl, and poetry.
Twenty ceramic dishes are hung on a white wall. All have a rough, rounded shape, but vary in size. There are figurative, abstract, floral, and pop cultural motifs.
Ten hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures on a white shelf are arranged in three rows. They resemble characters from popular culture, notably Minnie Mouse, Olive Oyl, and Little Lulu, as well as Japanese dolls and a cat.
A framed mixed media work with a central image of Wonder Woman surrounded by various doodles, including Felix the Cat, a tank, and pre-Columbian figurative designs.
A handmade ceramic vessel sits on a white shelf. A thin glaze of light blue constitutes the background and several unique cartoonish figures are arranged sequentially in the foreground.
A handmade ceramic teapot with a white ground. Figures referencing Pre-Columbian cultures and Western cartoons are painted in the foreground using black and red outlines.

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (Ten hand-built ceramics are arranged on a white shelf, mixing together figurative and abstract designs. Vessels of various colors and shapes are on the left and a white-ground teapot, plate, and handheld mirror are on the far-right.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (Two adjacent white walls, with a shelf of ten hand-built ceramics on the left wall and a framed mixed media work on the right.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (Five hand-built ceramic vases with unique colorations are arranged on a white shelf. They each have bodies shaped like a human head and painted facial features and hair.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (Four colorful hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures of different sizes are arranged on a white shelf. Left to right, the figures appear to be Minnie Mouse, a squat orange cat, Olive Oyl, and a doll inspired by Japanese figurines.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (An image angled from above shows five ceramic vessels arranged in two rows on a white shelf. Each is uniquely shaped and decorated, with motifs ranging from geometric patterns, a hunt scene, a Matisse-inspired nude, Olive Oyl, and poetry.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (Twenty ceramic dishes are hung on a white wall. All have a rough, rounded shape, but vary in size. There are figurative, abstract, floral, and pop cultural motifs.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (Ten hand-built figurative ceramic sculptures on a white shelf are arranged in three rows. They resemble characters from popular culture, notably Minnie Mouse, Olive Oyl, and Little Lulu, as well as Japanese dolls and a cat.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, installation view, 2014 (A framed mixed media work with a central image of Wonder Woman surrounded by various doodles, including Felix the Cat, a tank, and pre-Columbian figurative designs.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, Bringing up Father, 2013, Ceramic, 8 × 6 in. (A handmade ceramic vessel sits on a white shelf. A thin glaze of light blue constitutes the background and several unique cartoonish figures are arranged sequentially in the foreground.)

Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, Pre Columbian (Maya) Tea Pot w/ Katzenjammer angel, 2013, Ceramic, 10 × 9 in. (A handmade ceramic teapot with a white ground. Figures referencing Pre-Columbian cultures and Western cartoons are painted in the foreground using black and red outlines.)