Press Release

“When I began to think about making a sculpture for Fishers Island, I started with a question: How can I create something visually generous and fun that responds to the customs, landscape, and architecture of this unique community while simultaneously honoring Lighthouse Work’s significant 10-year milestone as a local cultural institution?

I think of mid-Atlantic summer communities like Fishers Island, The Cape of Massachusetts, and Fire Island and I think about homes clad in shingles and shutters devoted to the pursuit of leisure with family and friends. A classic shutter motif I love are the kinds with cut-out silhouettes of moons, diamonds, and even candles where function is unapologetically abandoned in favor of ornamental pleasure. The design for Candle emerged from researching these motifs. The sculpture’s form is a dramatically scaled-up replica of an existing shutter design found in my research extruded from 2D to 3D. I chose a palette that invoked seaside confectionaries, clear blue skies, and the faded colors of comfy well-loved beachwear. Visually Candle gently stands out from the natural landscape but pops with optimism and joy to complement the relaxation and revelry found on the island during its peak season. A candle is a timeless domestic instrument – a way to know what is real when the nearby world is obscured by darkness. A lighthouse functions like this too – which is why I decided to make the sculpture, positioned on the water, illuminate at night like a beacon.

I want to thank Lighthouse Works, the Fishers Island Community, and the talented folks at Versteeg Art Fabricators for helping realize Candle. Seeing the sculpture fully realized has been an incredible gift to me and my work, and I hope the community finds much joy in it during the 2022 season. Cheers to all!”

-Chris Bogia
June 2022

Chris Bogia received his BFA at New York University and MFA from Yale University. Bogia was a recent recipient of the Jackson Pollock - Lee Krasner Foundation Grant; a Queens Council for the Arts, New Works Grant; as well as a Rema Hort Mann Foundation Artist Community Engagement Grant, and the Tiffany Foundation grant. He was also an artist in residence at the Queens Museum Studio Program from 2017-2018. Recent exhibitions include a public project with Art in Buildings in NYC, a solo exhibition at Mrs. Gallery, group exhibitions at Hesse Flatow, NYC, Primary, Miami, RUSCHMAN, Chicago, The Public Art Fund, NYC, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles, Bric, Brooklyn, Mrs. Gallery, The New Museum, and a presentation at NADA with Mrs. Gallery in 2020. Bogia is the co-founder of Fire Island Artist Residency (FIAR), the first LGBTQ artist residency in the world, and was FIAR’s acting director from 2011- 2020. He is currently an instructor of sculpture at New York University.

For more information please contact hello@mrsgallery.com.

Press

Chris Bogia’s Candle Sculpture Illuminates Fishers Island, New York
Annie Block, Interior Design Magazine