Restless Corners, created by Joel Sherry, is a series of sculptural video objects placed throughout the house. Inspired by both the building and Grainger’s life, the works incorporate performance, sound, photography, drawing, found objects and Percy Grainger's own musical compositions. The sculptures integrate reclaimed monitors and projectors using video played in an atmosphere of looping movement, light and sound. The exhibition explores how individuals move through space, impacting the environment and objects of that space, leaving traces of our brief time, creating an imprint on the physical presence of space.
In creating Restless Corners, Joel Sherry and and members of the dance performance group Teatolocal (Joel Sherry, Cynthia Bueschel Svigals, Michelle Kelly Wurf) collaborated to connect diverse audiences fusing visual art, performance, and music in surprising combinations.
The Wednesday Lunchtime Tours feature a guided tour of the installation on the first and second floor of the historic house. Please sign up for one of the tours (advance reservation required). Tours are available on Wednesday, April 9; Wednesday, April 23; or Wednesday, April 30, at 12 noon.
Before closing on May 4, the exhibition will culminate with a Sunday Tour (reservations requested) where the artist will share insights about his creative process, the installation, and its integration with the Percy Grainger house and legacy.
Paul Jackson, president of the Percy Grainger Society, expresses his enthusiasm: “We are thrilled to welcome Joel Sherry and his groundbreaking exhibit, Restless Corners, to the Percy Grainger Home and Studio. This installation not only honors the artistic spirit of Percy and Ella Grainger but also continues their legacy of using this space as a vibrant platform for creativity and innovation.”
Restless Corners was made possible by a generous Individual Artist-Arts Alive Grant through ArtsWestchester.
About the Artists
Joel Sherry is an artist, designer, builder and choreographer. He received a BFA in Theatrical Design from California Institute of the Arts. As a multi-disciplinary artist working in the areas of design, visual art, and choreography, he creates paintings, sculptures, installations and live performance. As a designer, he has created environments for theater, dance, corporate entertainment and themed attractions. He currently works for SUNY New Paltz as Technical Director of the Performing Arts Department. Teatolocal is the current iteration of his collaboration with Cynthia Bueschel Svigals & Michelle Kelly Wurf.
The Percy Grainger Home and Studio
Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882-1961), an internationally renowned pianist and composer, stands as a seminal figure in 20th century music history. His compositions and arrangements for wind ensembles helped transform bands into instruments for serious concert music and his arrangements are still widely performed today. Innovative and multi-talented, Grainger was additionally, a pioneer in the collection of folk songs, a watercolorist, essayist, and inventor of experimental music-making machines. The house, purchased in 1921, served as his residence, studio and laboratory until his death in 1961. The 1893 house remains largely furnished today as it was during Grainger’s lifetime and is the resource most significantly associated with Grainger in America.