Opening Reception Saturday January 5, 6-9pm with Spoken Word Performance by Peter Schifrin at 7:30pm

In this latest series of work, sculptor Peter Schifrin takes inspiration from his time as a sword-fighting Olympian and the Olympic principle of “mind, body, spirit” to create a unified sensory experience incorporating 2-D and 3-D forms, color, text and--on opening night--sound. This will be the first stop of the exhibition, which continues on to the Art of the Olympians Museum in Fort Meyers, FL in February.

“I hope (my work) can be a visual reminder... a celebration of human endeavor and spirit.”

In his new series of sculptural works, Peter Schifrin uses the inspiration and lessons of participating in the 1984 Olympics to create an immersive exhibition of limited edition bronze winged sculptural forms living amongst “silver-lining” clouds etched onto magnesium plates. With his signature elemental mark-making and meshing of the verbal with the visual, Schifrin creates an air of the metaphysical while firmly grounding us in the moment, inviting us to listen, touch, see and be with the forms he presents to us in their multi-layered complexity, inviting us to find our own “super-hero” within.

“Athletes and artists have a lot in common. We both perform acts that have never been done before. We study from masters. We invent new moves and we practice traditional craft. We use both passion and intuition. But most importantly, we all need to “show up” fully and perform.”

Schifrin’s artistic practice and experiences as an Olympian are both informed by the practice of ritual, discipline, the pursuit of excellence, risk-taking and personal expression. Raised by artist parents, he found his calling as a sculptor at the age of 15, though he pursued a career as a professional athlete for a time. He continues to use a “tool” composed of symbols and color that embody the 24 life principles for success under pressure he developed while training, it’s ideas imbuing his forms. Engagement is a key principal for Schifrin. He uses language, movement and tangible objects to pull the viewer into the moment. But the interaction also occurs between his artworks. Though each stands alone, his practice of working on multiple pieces at once as he explores ideas results in works that interconnect and speak to each other in multifaceted ways.

About Peter Schifrin:
Peter Schifrin is a sculptor and poet living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has exhibited extensively on both coasts. In addition to teaching at multiple well known art schools, Schifrin has done large commission sculptures and portraits throughout California. He received his MFA in sculpture from Boston University.