The ability to translate your loves, fears, and emotions is a task that not everyone is up for; it is a task that Derek Weisberg has lovingly embraced for a better part of his life.
A California native now living in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Weisberg uses his sculptures to put the concept of vulnerability in an open forum where it can be appreciated for relevance. Inspired by the death of his mother, Weisberg’s body of work inherently grapples with the issue of mortality.
Porcelain Promises XIV: We’ve Come Too Far To Let the Sunshine Slip Behind the Skyline. (Courtesy of Derek Weisberg,)
Porcelain Promises XIV: We’ve Come Too Far To Let the Sunshine Slip Behind the Skyline. (Courtesy of Derek Weisberg,)
As living beings, we are often faced with the question of how permanent our place is on this earth. When we discover how impermanent our permanence is, we are shaken to the core. Eventually we end up running from this discovery, whether the effort to do so is conscious or not. Weisberg’s work makes us privy to a part of our psyche that we have been conditioned to ignore. It forces us to understand vulnerability in a way that is rarely afforded to us through other channels.
Who Flew Too Close To the Sun. (Courtesy of Derek Weisberg,)
Who Flew Too Close To the Sun. (Courtesy of Derek Weisberg,)
Porcelain Promises Installation. (Courtesy of Derek Weisberg.)
Porcelain Promises Installation. (Courtesy of Derek Weisberg.)
Weisberg himself is nowhere near as morose as the subject matter of his work. When we met up with him at Greenwich House Pottery on Jones Street, Weisberg was noticeably laidback but quick to laugh. He embodies a perfect balance of Cali mellow and Gotham vigor: going with the flow and stating his opinion all at once. Greeting us quaintly with a warm smile and a bottle of Jameson, we sat down with Weisberg to discuss his journey as an artist and the distinguished nature of his work.
Written by Akeem K. Duncan.↓
Akeem K. Duncan (n.): editor in chief; despised by most of the staff.
Akeem is our founder. A writer, poet, curator and profuse sweater, he is responsible for the curatorial direction and overall voice of Quiet Lunch. The Bronx native has read at venues such as the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, KGB Bar, Lovecraft and SHAG–with works published in Palabra Luminosas and LiVE MAG13. He has also curated solo and group exhibitions at numerous galleries in Chelsea, Harlem, Bushwick and Lower Manhattan.