'Wendy Klemperer: There Goes The Neighborhood…'

The Arts Center at Duck Creek opens “Wendy Klemperer: There Goes the Neighborhood…,” on Thursday, August 4. A reception for the artist will be held on Sunday, August 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. and the show remains on view through October 16.

In this installation, Klemperer considers animal populations threatened with extinction in the 20th century that have since rebounded exponentially. Whitetail deer and wild turkeys exemplify this successful resuscitation and reintroduction to the point of ubiquity. A familiar sight on the East End, they now penetrate public and private spaces alike. Attitudes on their growing numbers vary from delight to unease, representing conflicting views on property rights and animal rights. As land grows scarcer due to overdevelopment and climate change, among other issues, Klemperer’s sculptures explore aspects of evolutionary adaptation, mythical possibility, and natural beauty.

“The imagery that pervades my work reflects a lifelong fascination with animals,” Klemperer remarks. “To make the large scale sculptures, I search scrap yards for industrial refuse ravaged by usage and demolition. Bent and twisted, such pieces contain energy and potential new life. My welding process is a kind of three-dimensional gesture drawing. A network of steel lines builds a skeletal form containing both presence and absence. I investigate the body language of animals to express a feeling or state of being, with motion conveying emotion.”

Wendy Klemperer (b. 1958, Boston, Massachusetts) received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Harvard University and a BFA in sculpture and painting from Pratt Institute. She has exhibited extensively throughout the United States, with permanent public installations in more than 20 states. Her residency grants include the Skowhegan School, MacDowell Colony, Ucross Foundation, Sculpture Space in Utica, and Denali National Park. She lives in Brooklyn and Nelson, New Hampshire.

Arts Center at Duck Creek is at 127 Squaw Road in East Hampton. For further information, visit duckcreekarts.org.