Geo Logic
Separate Reality and Kendall Conrad meld in the Funk Zone
Written by Joan Tapper
The title of Kendall Conrad’s exhibit of sculpture—GEO LOGIC—is a clue to the meaning of her impressive new work, which was celebrated at the Separate Reality Gallery in the Funk Zone on May 9. Gallery-goers encountered what was described as an “immersive landscape of sculptural forms exploring erosion, geological structure, and material tension…creating a striking dialogue between organic surface, shadow, and spatial rhythm.”
The pieces encompass a range of materials—wood, clay, and bronze—in forms that vary from dense and tortuous to sinuous and corporeal, all demonstrating the artist’s assured hand. For several decades Conrad had an impressive career as a successful designer of luxury goods, including handbags, sandals, and jewelry, with several eponymous retail boutiques. Since 2023, however, she has turned her attention to art full time, working in her studio at Rincon Point.
The spare, free-flowing space of the Separate Reality Gallery added to the impact of the sculptures. Says Conrad, “It was incredibly meaningful to see Geo Logic installed as a complete body of work for the first time. The opening felt less like a presentation of individual objects and more like an immersive landscape of matter, shadow, and form.” The show is on view through June 28 by appointment only. 111 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara; 805-280-1635
