It's never a bad thing when you're, not only in the right place at the right time, but equally prepared as well. Today, I happened to be on "the City Different's" prestigious Canyon Road, when I ran into one of my new favorites artists--Brooklyn-bred stone sculptor Robin Antar. Lucky for me, I have been carrying my video camera around as if I were the papparazzi. So, it was very natural for me, upon seeing images of her work on her iPad, to be like "umm...these are the coolest pieces of art ever. Let me grab my camera to do an interview with you right now!" Antar was very obliging in a typically New York reticent What-does-he-want-from-me-you-wanna-interview-me-wearing-this?! kind of way. Ultimately, we hit it off over role-playing native "New Yawkers" hailing and then subsequently fighting for a cab. I quickly discovered how funny she is when I asked (knowing full well the answer), "Are you from Santa Fe?" Her reply? "Do I sound like I'm from Santa Fe?" Let's just say there is a slight 'hint' of Brooklyn in her voice! It's no surprise then that her eye for detail is as keen as her sense of humor.
Antar took up abstract sculpting in 1974 while still a high school student. It was later, post-9/11, that she began to carve her realistic creations, including American icons and her shoe collection, which began with a commission from Skechers to create a boot sculpture. In past years, Antar has more than risen to the challenge of making sculptures in the form of blue jeans, jean jackets, cookies, ketchup and wine bottles, and her present project--a 6,000-pound bag of potato chips!
How does she achieve the realism in her work? "I replicate these items on a real life-scale, complete with meticulous detail," she says. "...by incorporating parts of the actual object, as well as custom-made stains, paints, plastics and gold leaf. It's more than art imitating life, it's art mirroring life."
In addition to being housed in private collections, Antar's art has been exhibited in various shows and galleries, including Sotheby's, NY; the National Art Club, NY; Nabisco Gallery, NJ; Fine Art Management Enterprises, Miami, FL; the City Museum of St. Louis, Mo., the Provincetown Art Museum, Provincetown, MA; the MGM Grand hotel, Las Vegas and others.
The artist, who is based out of her Brooklyn, New York studio, is in Santa Fe this week promoting her work, which is represented by Marji Gallery on Canyon Road. Marji Gallery specializes in American and international artists and features diverse mediums such as original paintings, contemporary photography, sculpture and conceptual art. This weekend, Antar will be appearing at the gallery to sign posters on Friday (8/6) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday (8/7) from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
In the meantime, enjoy Antar expounding on her captivating work in a video interview HERE:
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