Rose Nestler

Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, USA

Artist statement

My work presents traditionally femme signifiers (flowers, high-heeled shoes, handbags), highlighting the cultural and ideological power implicit in everyday objects. By exploiting these signifiers, I open dialogues around the perception of femininity and its spectacle in traditional art historical narratives and contemporary visual media. I reference fairy tales, pop culture, history and mythology to dig into the murky area between attraction and repulsion, embedded in objects that signify sexual difference. My sculptures pursue compositional stillness and absence, cultivating moments of discomfort and unease; I balance these tensions with playfulness through manipulations of color, scale, and material. I employ fabric and leather as sculptural materials for their association with clothing; stone and wood because of their connection to architecture and time; and silicone for its proximity to prosthetics and sex toys. This range of materials enables me to play with expectations, gesturing toward the seductiveness of feminine objects with defiance and humor. Recently, I have been working on wood and fabric sculptures that contain miniature rooms; the overall sculpture might resemble a broomstick, duffle bag, dollhouse or puzzle, but the work also houses a tiny tableau of theatrical and domestic imagery. These shifts in scale, portraying scenes from a fried-egg speckled wall to a rubber gloved hand mopping a spill, lend humor and tenderness while allowing me to explore themes...

Artwork