Constructive Angles: Jane Manus

Contessa Gallery is proud to announce a solo exhibition of works by the celebrated Florida artist Jane Manus. Manus is an international sculptor working in metal, whose works are included in numerous public and private collections around the world.

Jane Manus was born in New York City and received her BFA from Rollins College and the Art Institute of Boston. She was always intrigued by monumental work and eventually accepted metal as her preferred material. “I like metal sculpture because of its permanence,” says the artist.

As means of her artistic expression Jane Manus employs all the properties of an object: form, scale, color and function. In the core of her aesthetics is the simple geometry of minimalism, but the works are also surrounded with an emotional aura that interacts with the viewer. Her objects vary – from small table-top maquettes to large freestanding outdoor sculptures to wall hangings.

“As a sculptor, I am interested in exploring several aspects of three dimensional space in my work; the interaction of positive and negative spaces, the difference between frontal and side views, and the play of shadows on the surfaces surrounding the object. My work is defined by minimal abstract form; bold color; highly finished, tactile surfaces: and architectural integrity. It is about harmony with the environment and balance with the human form,” says Manus of her work.

One of the few female artists in the genre of abstract geometric sculpture, Jane names such artists as Louise Nevelson, Louise Bourgeois and Beverly Pepper among her inspirations, as well as Mondrian, Mark de Suvero and David Smith. Another great inspiration is architecture, not surprising considering her New York City roots. Made of aluminum and painted in bright, bold colors, her sculpture avoids symmetry or predictability, while at the same time provoking the mind to create and look for familiar forms and figures. It is simultaneously simple and complex. Although at the base of each sculpture is a primal understanding of a line, Manus makes each work singular and unique by focusing on different linear paths, by using both bold color and texture.

Jane Manus has achieved a significant success and prominence in the art world. She had her first one person show in 1976 and since then, her work has been widely exhibited throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her sculpture is included in the public collections of the Harn Museum of Art, The Lincoln Center/List Collection, New York; The Georgia Museum of Art, the Sagamore Collection, Miami Beach; the Cornell Fine Art Museum; the Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami; The Butler Institute of American Art; the Flint Institute of Art, Michigan, The Cleveland Clinic Collection, Cleveland; Vero Beach Museum of Art and multiple others.