Wendell Castle & Nancy Jurs: Then And Now

Exhibiting together for the first time at our Riverfront Wilmington Museum, Wendell Castle and Nancy Jurs will display earlier and recent works in wood, ceramics, and mixed media (salvaged, reclaimed) showcasing their flawless grasp of art, design, and technology. In addition to her ceramic sculptures, Jurs integrates extant art, or objets d’art, into radically innovative new ensembles. Her methodology of detournement alters or subverts that which is familiar to a variation or deviation, which then lends the viewer renewed appreciation. Castle’s approach to his organic sculptures stem from a mindful selection of material, then honoring those materials in the process of design. His innovative ideas and mastery of material, whether wood, metal, concrete, or molded plastic honor a sustained continuity of work that is aesthetically stunning, transcendent, and yet practical.

The relationship between art and life tends toward overuse, but for this powerhouse couple from Scottsville, NY, art and life insolubly entwine the essence of their familial and professional relationship. As such, Wendell Castle and Nancy Jurs have gained an international reputation not simply for their wood and ceramic sculptures housed around the globe, but for their indefatigable commitment to craftsmanship, while renewing and reinventing how their materials speak to contemporary audiences.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website