Carol Bove: Plastic Unit, David Zwirner

Peacock feathers, seashells, driftwood and metallic structures make up the dazzling array of large-scale sculptures by Carol Bove on show at David Zwirner, London. It’s the gallery’s first exhibition of work by the New York City based artist, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Since David Zwirner first set up camp in London, Bove has been considering how to use the space. In her thought-provoking show, Bove challenges the viewer to come to each work with a different strategy and walk amongst the objects in her carefully crafted choreography.
Carol Bove artist and style
Bove’s early sculptural installations often take the form of plinths or wall-mounted shelves laden with period books and knick-knacks, which evoke memories of 1960s and '70s-era pop mysticism and spiritualism.
David Zwirner | Carol Bove exhibition
Works in the Zwirner show 2015 are a departure from the traditional Bove style, but yield new multi-layered meanings. The works could appear simple in their conception, but on closer inspection each element like the ancient petrified wood bolted to a steel frame and gleaming blue eyes of peacock feathers are carefully considered. Bove explains, '(the objects) don't really have my personality. I wanted them to look like they were made and at the same time, not made'. The materials are romantic and hang together effortlessly, with even concrete taking on an earthy, complex series of meanings. 
Look out for Self-Talk, four brightly coloured and irregularly shaped structures called glyphs on a concrete pedestal. These bent and twisted sculptures challenge the instantly recognisable language of pop art and contrast to the clean perfection of Noodle (2015). Other works on display include the humorously titled I, quartz pyx, who fling muck beds, which contains all the letters of the alphabet (substituting I for j and u for v). These brass cubes atop a concrete pedestal play with modernist display methods. You'll also enjoy Cow Watched by Argus (2013) - a steel structure which has journeyed over from the New York High-Line where it has been weathering for a year. 
The David Zwirner exhibition coincides with another show of Bove’s work at the Henry Moore Institute, alongside designs and sculptures by Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. So if you love the Zwirner show, you’ll know where to go next!