John Torreano

John Torreano received critical attention in the 1980s for his Wall Gems, painted wood, gem-shaped sculptures often imbedded with glass jewels. Installed in various group configurations the sculptures seem to float on the wall. In his latest work, wooden balls have replaced the imbedded gems on flat, planar surfaces while the gem shapes of the wall sculptures have morphed into spheres which he titles Odd Ball Wall Balls and Lucky Balls. Torreano’s sculptures are equal parts abstraction and direct citations of the physical world. The random scattering of gems suggest a celestial sky while the stylized gems and balls reference a combination of both decorative and abstract art. Torreano lives in New York City.