Almost Human ~ The work of Beth Carter

 On a recent trip to New York, I met Lauren Wagner, an art consultant for Axelle Fine Art Galerie in Soho. Wagner is an amazingly passionate consultant who clearly loves the work that she represents.

Walking into the gallery at 472 West Broadway, it was hard not to approach the ominous sculptures that greeted visitors. The dark and almost-human works of British artist, Beth Carter drew me in like a moth to a flame. The sinister looking creatures— sometimes bronze and sometimes resin—expose sensitive, human emotions, deflecting the expected horror associated with monsters. The characters can be found reading a book, attempting to repair the petal of a flower, or gazing at a moth. They touch the heart of the viewer—the segment that knows that our exterior shell is just a shell.

I strongly suggest stopping in to Axelle Fine Art on your next trip to Manhattan. The summer group show, which includes Beth Carter, concludes on September 13. Introduce yourself to consultant Lauren Wagner. She’s amazing.

Beth Carter, Minotaur and Moth, Bronze. Edition of 15. 13″x10”x12”

Beth Carter received her degree in Fine Art from Sunderland University in the United Kingdom. In 1995, she was awarded 1st prize in the “Northern Graduate Show ‘95” at The Royal College of Art, London. Afterwards, she traveled to Sri Lanka and India to study mythological sculpture. She later travelled to New Zealand, Mexico, Gambia, Kenya and Tanzania to further explore the precedents for this genre of sculpture. Her work has been shown in the US and abroad and appears in private collections throughout Europe, Asia and the US.
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