Gravitational Tendencies

Jaanika Peerna's first solo exhibition with Ulf Larsson galerie consists of a  new body of work in drawing and wall objects that draws from her ongoing interest in the transitional phases of natural phenomena. The artist draws free hand line drawings with water soluble pigment and then sets various conditions for the water to react with the drawn lines. Holding the drawings standing up the force of gravity makes the water move downwards "melting away" the existing line structure. Some drawings become wall objects by having their surface covered with cuts  of parallel lines and then hung up on a wall by one or two push pins. The shape of the objects is created by  gravity pulling the cut drawing down from the point/ points it is hanging from. 

Peerna's playful collaboration with the force of gravity creates works that  are not describing the force but ARE it. The tranistion from drawing to sculptural object is as subtle as the line between artist's hand at work and gravity doing it's part.

Jaanika Peerna is an Estonian born artist who lives and works primarily in New York since 1998. Her work encompasses drawing, installation and performance, often dealing with the theme of transitions in light, air, water and other natural phenomena.She has exhibited her work extensively in the entire New York metropolitan area as well as in Berlin, Paris, Tallinn, Helsinki, Venice, Berlin, Sydney, and Moscow. Her work is in numerous private collections in the US and Europe and was acquired by Fonds National d’Art Contemporain, Paris. Her work is represented in the United States by ARC Fine Art in Connecticut and Galerie Ulf Larsson in Cologne. She was awarded FID Grand Prix in 2016 for her extensive work in drawing. More info www.jaanikapeerna.net