Erin Trefry at Gallery

On View: September 7–October 12, 2019

In the West Adams gallery, Lowell Ryan Projects, Erin Trefry’s exhibition spans an array of mediums. Traditional ones like oil painting and ceramics are on view, although amidst these stalwart art forms, the artist plays little jokes: her ceramic forms are ad-hoc and tied together with fabric, while shoelaces and t-shirt scraps make their way onto her paintings. The show contains several near-symmetrical, shield-like pieces that also play with a mix of unexpected materials. Everyday plastic and leather objects (purse handles, clothing, shoes, tassels) that once belonged to the artist’s family are adhered to ceramic shields with zip-ties—a quick and dirty way to attach two things together. In these wonkily beautiful forms, the artist’s family belongings receive permanence and an elevated status as art objects. Many of the objects included belonged to the artist’s mother, who recently passed away, adding an intimate aura and potent homage to these curious sculptural works.