by Lorraine Heitzman

The exuberant exhibits by Margaret Griffith and Ann Weber at the José Drudis-Biada Art Gallery at Mount Saint Mary’s University show two very different sculptors at work. The differences are one of the reasons that the sculptures work exceptionally well together and also part of the fun. Griffith energizes the upper strata of her room, while Weber works primarily from the ground up, stalactites to the other’s stalagmites. Where Weber is concerned with volume, Griffith exploits line. Both artists demonstrate a confidence in organizing and manipulating space in regards to their installations, as well as making sculptures that stand (or suspend, as it were) on their own merits.

Ann Weber | Happiest Days of our Lives Exhibition Installation, 2019

Walking into Weber’s installation, you find yourself in a wonderland comprised of her signature cardboard constructions. Each sculpture is made from strips of recycled cardboard that the artist wraps around an armature, forming an exoskeleton of repeated curves. Most stand upright, a little taller than life, and are rooted to the ground. This orientation plus their sizes and shapes subliminally suggests human figures but they also have an architectural quality too, as if you are Alice, navigating an oversized chessboard. Weber favors organic shapes and her application of cardboard emphasizes the form and volume of her creations, imbuing them with personality and humor. The color is limited primarily to white on the standing sculptures, insuring the emphasis remains focused on the form and at the same time, allowing for a cohesive structure and a universal interpretation. Although they have an informal and slapdash quality reminiscent of outsider art, their crudeness is part of their appeal, as if they shouldn’t be taken too seriously. The strength of Weber’s work is in her complete control over her materials and how she manages to express vitality with a level of craftsmanship that is appropriate to her wholly original sculptures.

Ann Weber | Cloud, White, 2016 | Found cardboard, staples, polyurethane | 69 x 69 x 11 inches

In addition to her floor sculptures, Weber also shows a series of twenty-two wall-mounted pieces, Happiest Days of Our Lives, made from more colorful found-cardboard. Looking a lot like graffiti in bas-relief, these sculptures take off in a new direction, exploring two-dimensional shapes. The increased complexities of the wall works are an interesting tangent; they allow for more elaborate, calligraphic forms that are almost musical in their relationship to each other. And although both the floor and wall sculptures compliment each other, it is difficult to compete with the tremendous presence of the three-dimensional work. The first five elements of the Happiest Days of Our Lives work best when isolated on a separate wall, so perhaps this is more a matter of an installation that could use more room. Happily, Weber’s continued explorations with cardboard are ongoing and inventive without any signs of slowing down. When we next see her imaginative sculptures, let’s hope for more room for them, as well.

Ann Weber | Personnages, Santa Monica, 2013 | Found cardboard, staples, polyurethane | 85 x 56 x 54 inches

Ann Weber | The Wedding Party, 2009 | Found cardboard, staples, polyurethane | 96 × 100 inches