Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard
Blossoms
Susan Benarcik’s Blossom series is a collection of small sculptures that emulate growth forms found in nature’s sea beds and forest floors. These highly crafted orchestrations appear to be natural forms, yet are in part made of various common, and uncommon, found and natural materials.
Benarcik’s work is deeply rooted in horticulture and design, and she demonstrates her concern for the environment through her sculptural installations and surface designs. Part printmaker and part sculptor, Benarcik takes elemental forms of the natural and man-made world into her studio and carefully transforms them into dimensional sculpture. She states, “sometimes, sheer abundance of available materials inspires me to stack, string, layer, knot, or weave natural and found materials into tactile, sculptural objects-much like the work of a bowerbird. Other times, it may be an unforgettable cluster of fungi that drives me to create an orchestration of obsessively crafted and co-joined components that mimic a natural formation.” Benarcik utilizes simple materials to create contemplative compositions for interior and exterior application, allowing the natural world to become part of our daily cognitive experience.