SECCA Presents Eric Fertman: A Comic Turn

SECCA Curator Cora Fisher’s
First Exhibition Runs April 1–June 30

"On Tuesday, April 1, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) will open its next exhibition, Eric Fertman: A Comic Turn. On view through June 30, this exhibition is SECCA Curator of Contemporary Art Cora Fisher’s first show at the museum. SECCA Executive Director Mark Leach says, “We’re thrilled to invite the community to get acquainted with Cora’s imaginative and playful curatorial vision.  I think our public will thoroughly enjoy her intelligent gathering of the featured work and her insightful analysis of Mr. Fertman’s creative practice.”

Image Description: Eric Fertman, Base, 2012
Image courtesy of the artist, 2014

Eric Fertman: A Comic Turn explores object-based humor through the medium of sculpture in a survey of Fertman’s work. Fertman’s practice gives absurdist humor many forms, from the wordplay of a title to gently ironic manipulations of the Modernist canon, to cartoon motifs lovingly crafted in wood, evoking a more sophisticated sense of humor. Alongside a comprehensive survey of three bodies of work by the artist from 2007-2014, the exhibition will feature several new sculptures by Fertman created for SECCA.

Also included in the show are three video works by performance and conceptual artists whose works capture humor enacted with and through objects, creating a conversation across media. Ger van Elk’s 1970 “Well-shaven Cactus,” Kate Gilmore’s 2010 “Pot, Kettle, Black” and Cynthia Maughan’s “Coffin from Toothpicks” add moments of performative jest and surprise – or comic turns, as suggested by the show’s title. “Together the works play on expectations and allow us to explore humor both as a physical encounter and an idea,” says Fisher.

Fertman graduated from Cooper Union in New York City. Since 1997 Fertman’s work has been in numerous solo and group exhibitions including the Sculpture Center in New York; Museum 52; the Guild and Greyshkul Gallery in New York; the Susan Inglett Gallery in New York; the 2010 Brucennial in New York; the Kemper Museum in Kansas City, MO; the Roberts and Tilton Gallery in Los Angeles; and at the Ritter/Zamet Gallery in London. He is represented in New York by the Susan Inglett Gallery.

A joint opening reception for Eric Fertman: A Comic Turn and the current exhibition Jennifer Meanley: Far away, in the meadow will be held on Tuesday, April 1, from 6-8 p.m. Both artists will attend, and Fisher will provide opening remarks at 6:45 p.m. in the SECCA galleries. Refreshments and a cash bar will be provided near the auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

In conjunction with Eric Fertman: A Comic Turn SECCA will host “Pun Intended Comedic Tours” on May 22 and June 26. Breaking away from traditional docent-led tours, this 30-minute comedian led tour will provide participatory and playful elaborations of the exhibition. The free tours will begin at 6 p.m.


SECCA is located at 750 Marguerite Drive and is open Tuesday through Sunday. For hours of operations and other information, visit www.secca.org. Admission to SECCA is free."
Submitted Release

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