Tamara Kostianovsky

SLAG&RX New York is pleased to announce, "Moved by Forces," a solo exhibition featuring the latest works of Tamara Kostianovsky. This exhibition marks her sixth solo presentation with the gallery and provides an in-depth exploration of her intricate artistic practice. Kostianovsky’s oeuvre is defined by its conceptual depth and physical rigor, employing materials that evoke the complex interplay between reality and fiction, time, and identity.

The exhibition features a collection of five new textile “carcass” sculptures. Included are two freestanding forms influenced by "Caryatids," the ancient female columnar figures serving as architectural supports. In this arrangement, two of these works will be displayed in the front room of the gallery, while three will be showcased in the main gallery alongside "Narcissus," with one "Colossus" in each space. The main gallery introduces "Narcissus," a textile installation that encompasses a naturalistic tree stump sculpture, which emerges from an elaborate network of textile roots. This dynamic composition transcends the spatial limits of the gallery, evoking associations with urban planning and neurological pathways. Demonstrating her commitment to site-specificity, "Narcissus" was initially conceived during her term as the Martin Shallenberger Artist-in-Residence and presented at Cheekwood Museum, Nashville, TN, in 2025.

In "Colossus" and "Sculptural Group," Kostianovsky’s figures undergo a transformative process, metamorphosing into vessels infused with botanical and avian motifs. This exploration articulates a profound continuity between human bodies, architecture, and the natural world, positioning the female form as a dynamic agent for change within a discourse informed by feminist perspectives. This deliberate placement not only creates a dialogue between the works but also emphasizes the theme of duality in the exhibition - each "Colossus" standing as a marker of strength and transformation, reinforcing the interconnectedness of the spaces. This thoughtful distribution invites viewers to engage with the sculptures in contrasting yet complementary environments, enhancing the overall narrative of the exhibition.

Further examining the relationship between life and matter, the suspended “carcasses” represent a contemplation on what the artist calls a “botanical revolution of the flesh.” These works serve as a personal reinterpretation, a self-portrait where clothing acts as a second skin, mapping an organic interaction between identity and ownership. Here, Kostianovsky negotiates the dualities of horror and beauty, vitality and mortality - highlighting the complex terrain of embodied experience.In her artist statement, Kostianovsky elaborates on her cultural synthesis - fusing the violent histories of her native Latin America to contemporary American consumerism.

The integration of carnal imagery and waste culture informs her artistic voice, where analogies between slaughtered animals and violence toward the female body emerge poignantly. Through the repurposing of her own wardrobe, she expands the legacy of feminist artists who incorporated bodily narratives into their work, while engaging critically with factors of gender-based violence and the climate crisis.

As Tamara Kostianovsky delves into themes of corporeality and ecology, "Moved by Forces" invites viewers to reflect on the myriad connections that bind human and non-human life.