About the work
This current group of art boxes owes their macabre spirit largely to the influences of the eccentric subjects and objects of English symbolism; sinister figures of the Renaissance; the anthropomorphic tableau of Victorian naturalism; and the Dia de los Muertos style of Mexico. Lin Esser’s close involvement with film and theatre instills a sense of dramatic as well as concise design in his approach.
A large share of his attention today extends beyond the curtain of everyday life, peering into not often celebrated aspects of human mortality. The shift from drawing to three-dimensional objects exemplifies an instinctive play with spatial relationships, composition, and an ever-evolving narrative, revealed as one spends more time with each environment. Much of the present work began as an effort to replace a Dia de los Muertos box he attained as a child then over the years lost. The marriage of the macabre and whimsy has always been at the heart of Lin's introspective vision, giving dark wit and a certain charm to the collection. The enclosures made their NYC debut in January 2007 as part of the ‘The Flowers of Evil Still Bloom’ exhibition at Cueto Project Gallery in Chelsea. Lin’s work featured along with the likes of James Ensor, Jean-Leon Gerome, Damien Hirst, Gustav Klimt, and Thomas Couture etc. His work was also featured in the exibition ‘Mother May I Sleep With Danger’ at Local Project Arts Collective in Long Island City. Currently Lin Esser’s work is shown by appointment at Shepherd & Derom Galleries in New York City. |