Gymnasia - Solo Show at BRIC 

Curated by Jenny Gerow

Press Release: Gymnasia is an installation by Brooklyn-based artist Rose Nestler in the Project Room of BRIC House. The exhibition includes Nestler’s oversized textile reinterpretations of ancient prize amphorae and a multi-channel video installation that places costumed dancers, gymnasts and wrestlers amidst large scale fabric trophies moving to the sound of a hypnotic and syncopated chorus of commentators.

The works included in this show pull from the iconography and structures of the ancient Greco-Roman Gymnasium, while also utilizing the familiar aesthetics and materials of contemporary sportswear. Gymnasia presents an investigation into the correlation between athleticism, spirituality, gender and power through illustrating sports, ceremonies and rewards that sustain the oppressive regime of toxic masculinity within American culture.

Rose Nestler is a 2017-18 recipient of the ArtFP, an open call for Brooklyn-based visual artists to exhibit at BRIC House.