Sophie Larrimore & Jerry the Marble Faun

Duality gives rise to reciprocity in “Other Matters,” a show at Situations that balances new paintings by Sophie Larrimore with freestanding sculptures by Jerry the Marble Faun. In highlighting the contrasting mediums, the exhibition sheds light on unexpected parallels between either artist’s practice.

Not preconceived yet carefully considered, Larrimore’s compositions revolve around illusionistic spaces in which her subjects of choice—female nudes and dogs—lounge and gallivant across colorful, maze-like scenery. Densely rendered patterns overlay both backdrop and foreground, erasing clear distinctions between naturalistic detail, abstract motif, and broader figuration. This effect is particularly pronounced in Catching Stones (2021) [pictured]. Here, two female forms recline on the ground, the curves of their bodies undulating as if attuned to the contoured landscape; with this, bare skin, terrain, and a cloud-mottled sky all share a soft, dappled texture that lends an organic sensibility to the deliberate design.

Anchored in his freeform approach, Jerry the Marble Faun’s method is, similarly, both meticulous and intuitive. He carves along the natural flow of his material, allowing its properties to guide the shape it will become. He also shares with Larrimore an affinity for earthy motifs—which is to say that leafy forms abound. He enhances this impression by adding natural pigment to the stone or by propagating moss on its surface. The expressionistic chisel marks left over, meanwhile, are a kind of brushwork all his own.