More than 30,000 mountains of rice and pollen piles comprise Wolfgang Laib's installation for the expansive Sullivan North Gallery. Laib finds spirituality in the simplicity of these everyday, organic materials, which provide sustenance or engender life. Ritual also plays a central role in Laib's highly reductive and sensual art, as will be evident in his ten-day residency at the gallery where he will work with a team of SAIC students and alumni to create this installation. Born in Germany, Laib's work has been included in the Venice Biennale and documenta 7, Kassel, Germany, and the focus of many retrospectives including the Musée de Grenoble, France and Fondazione Merz in Turin, Italy.
The artist will discuss his practice and Unlimited Ocean on October 17 as part of the Visiting Artists Program.