Lorimoto Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new work by Janine Polak, featuring graphite drawings and porcelain sculptures in conversation with one another. 

Janine Polak’s recent work explores the simultaneous strength and fragility of specific materials and references (porcelain, graphite, worn clothing, etc.) as metaphors for the human condition. Delicate yet permanent porcelain sculptures are made via a “slip dipping” process, wherein worn cotton bits of clothing are massaged with porcelain slip and high-fired, leaving only a shell of the fabric that was once there. The sculptures maintain fidelity to the original object, yet feel ghostly and frozen. The detailed pencil drawings further explore pairings of articles of clothing as figurative stand-ins; they are ephemeral and degradable, yet resilient and composed.

Janine Polak was born in Nebraska and raised primarily in Virginia. She has exhibited throughout the US including at Essex Flowers, NYC; Brennan & Griffin, NYC; TSA NYC; Sculpture Space NYC; Scott Charmin, Houston, TX; and Sardine, Brooklyn. She has also exhibited internationally in China, Australia, and Iceland. She received a BA in Studio Art (Sculpture and Photography) and Economics from the University of Virginia and and MFA from the Yale University School of Art, Department of Sculpture. She currently lives and works in Queens, NY.

This exhibition was made possible in part by the Queens Council of the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council 

February 12th - 27th

Opening Reception : February 12th , 2022 6~ 9 PM