Joshua Enck

I create sculptures that capture the tension between the spontaneity of the artistic process and the restraint of meticulous craftsmanship. I draw inspiration from the visual language of obsolescence – from antique dress forms to vernacular barn roofs to railroad oil cans. I use sketching to investigate the essence of forms without working out every detail on paper. I take ideas that excite me into the studio and let them grow through improvisation as I embrace the unforeseen possibilities that arise when building by hand. My sculptures thus embrace a raw, awkward sensibility that emerges through their making, and while beautiful forms, they challenge prevailing notions of beauty. They are often asymmetrical, quirky, and animated. I complement my intuitive form-making process with great attention to detail. I employ labor-intensive metal fabrication and woodworking techniques to realize challenging compound-complex curves, angular geometries, and the intersection of disparate volumes. My attention to detail carries into the finishing of my sculptures. I utilize controlled surface imperfections that recall the randomness of natural weathering processes and patinas of use. Metal oxidation, layers of burnished paint, and repetitive tool markings suggest histories not fully available to the viewer. My finished sculptures are striking, idiosyncratic objects that celebrate the perfection of the imperfect.

Events participated in

• 2018 Collaboration
• 2016 Collaboration
• 2012 Collaboration
• 2014 Collaboration