Acquisitions

WAG @ Home: A Playful Sculpture Tells a Story of its Own

For over a month now, like many of you, WAG has been working from home. Our day-to-day is now centered around Zoom calls, email chains, and lots of time spent enjoying the artwork that we love and live with. This seems like the perfect opportunity to share with you small glimpses of our personal collections. First to share, Ady Avivi describes a recent acquisition that has been brightening her day from a sweet spot in her apartment.

 I got this blue ceramic vase by Jessica Ninci from SpaceHL a few months ago. It’s totally unusable as a vase, which is why it’s so endearing – like the artist stretched out the clay beyond what it could hold and let it fall over wherever it landed. No flowers going in this guy… It’s also kind of phallic (you were all thinking it), which is weird and awkward and maybe unintended by the artist, but which makes me smile. It’s deep royal blue and has a shiny glaze, which gives it lots of life.

It’s in my favorite part of our apartment, our bookcase, where I hold onto everything I’ve read and loved, even if I’ve totally forgotten the plot or characters…which is pretty much every book I’ve read. Anyway, if i’m going to be home all day, every day for the next few weeks (months?) then I’m happy to spend it with this little sculpture.

Jessica Ninci got her MFA from the University of Houston and co-runs Rising Tide Projects in Galveston (coincidentally a book by that name is right by it on the shelf – definitely recommend it). Follow her on instagram at @squiggleanddash.

I don’t know Jessica personally, but I do know Paul Middendorf, from whose gallery I purchased this piece. It’s unclear what’s happening next for him, or when, in terms of a physical space for SpaceHL, but we love everything he does. His contributions to the city, in art and in volunteer work, are unmatched. We’re watching and waiting to see what he’s got planned because we know, if it’s Paul, it will be amazing.

You can read more about Rising Tide Projects on their website.

Paul has been having great conversations with leaders and community members on the SpaceHL instagram which you can follow Here.

Photo from Box 13 exhibition, Photography by Dan Schmal.