Jason Mehl
Bio
Jason Mehl is known for his sculptures and for being the designer of the world's largest neurodegenerative research award. (The Rainwater Prize).
Informed by recurring patterns in nature, Mehl’s work is self-referential in that his sculptures are realized by reinterpreting an original form numerous times. Each iteration references the previous rather than pulling directly from the original inspiration, ultimately making the completed work a non-literal interpretation of an idea that has been reworked to the point of abstraction.
Mehl primarily incorporates traditional sculpting methods with the occasional use of new technology, such as 3D scanning and printing, in his work. His process is one of continuous editing and recontextualizing of forms, layering various techniques and changing mediums to distill them down to their fundamental elements.
Also holding a degree in environmental science, Mehl often confronts the Anthropocene. He has had numerous domestic and international solo exhibitions, been Artist in Residence at both Seoul Artspace (Mullae) in the Republic of Korea and at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, TX, where he later served as residency director. He’s originally from Dallas and has had studios in DFW, South Korea, Portland, OR and Aspen. He currently
Jason Mehl is known for his sculptures and for being the designer of the world's largest neurodegenerative research award. (The Rainwater Prize).
Informed by recurring patterns in nature, Mehl’s work is self-referential in that his sculptures are realized by reinterpreting an original form numerous times. Each iteration references the previous rather than pulling directly from the original inspiration, ultimately making the completed work a non-literal interpretation of an idea that has been reworked to the point of abstraction.
Mehl primarily incorporates traditional sculpting methods with the occasional use of new technology, such as 3D scanning and printing, in his work. His process is one of continuous editing and recontextualizing of forms, layering various techniques and changing mediums to distill them down to their fundamental elements.
Also holding a degree in environmental science, Mehl often confronts the Anthropocene. He has had numerous domestic and international solo exhibitions, been Artist in Residence at both Seoul Artspace (Mullae) in the Republic of Korea and at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, TX, where he later served as residency director. He’s originally from Dallas and has had studios in DFW, South Korea, Portland, OR and Aspen. He currently
lives in Colorado.
Artist's Statement
My current body of work has been built by appropriating and reinterpreting the same forms based on the intuitive geometry of nature. Each new work is a reflection of the last.
Over time, memories become fragmented, broken down, and reconstructed. Though the root is the same, the structure is constantly being re-translated and restructured each time we remember an event. Memories are built upon memories, and the further we get from an actual event, the more divergent they become. This doesn't make them any less beautiful, only less literal. Focus and perspectives shift from one piece to the next.
Using the language of erosion, decay, growth processes and the passage of time, each unique work is meant to recreate a moment of discovery; something of interest that grabs our attention, something familiar, but can't be defined.
These represent found objects tied to a place, event, or moment in time. Each unique sculpture is the reinterpretation of an original that represents a past experience as if it's been carried from another place -- a remnant or reminder of the past. Instead of displaying these originals, only representations of them are displayed; fragmented, rebuilt, and retold over time, just as memories have been.
Artist's Statement
My current body of work has been built by appropriating and reinterpreting the same forms based on the intuitive geometry of nature. Each new work is a reflection of the last.
Over time, memories become fragmented, broken down, and reconstructed. Though the root is the same, the structure is constantly being re-translated and restructured each time we remember an event. Memories are built upon memories, and the further we get from an actual event, the more divergent they become. This doesn't make them any less beautiful, only less literal. Focus and perspectives shift from one piece to the next.
Using the language of erosion, decay, growth processes and the passage of time, each unique work is meant to recreate a moment of discovery; something of interest that grabs our attention, something familiar, but can't be defined.
These represent found objects tied to a place, event, or moment in time. Each unique sculpture is the reinterpretation of an original that represents a past experience as if it's been carried from another place -- a remnant or reminder of the past. Instead of displaying these originals, only representations of them are displayed; fragmented, rebuilt, and retold over time, just as memories have been.
