Nick Raffel’s (b. Portland, Maine, 1982) work in sculpture, installation, and digital modeling considers architectural and infrastructural systems which facilitate the flow of air, water, and gas. Recent works intervene in pre-existing mechanical systems, questioning their efficiency, sustainability, adaptability, and healthfulness. Raffel considers passive solutions to energy production and the ways designed objects, including his sculptures, are situated within and relative to natural forms of energy.

For the airfoil installation in the North Gallery of the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery, Raffel researched the temperature and humidity distribution across the gallery, working to create a three-dimensional map of the space. His research also included the function and maintenance of the gallery’s current heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system and the architectural history of the building designed by Roche-Dinkaloo and opened in 1973. The aesthetic ideals of this historic design and the aesthetics of the utilities specifically express historic understandings of energy usage. Raffel’s installation will exist at the junction of these concerns and offer a speculative proposal for the future of this space in the 21st century.

Recent exhibitions include Pied-à-Terre, San Francisco; Regards, Chicago; Kunstverein Nürnberg, Germany; Colgate University, Hamilton, New York; and JOAN, Los Angeles.

RELATED EVENTS

Opening Reception: Nick Raffel - airfoil — Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 4:30pm

Artist Talk by Nick Raffel - Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 4:30pm


Image: Installation view of Nick Raffel, airfoil, 2022, Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery. Photography by Dario Lasagni.