Orli Swergold

Swarm Intelligence

In my sculptural paintings paper pulp is a hybridizing force. It subsumes its surroundings and uses swarm intelligence to adapt to its environment. With this versatile plant matter, I create delicate artworks that fuse the human body with the bodies of plants, geological forms, animals and even objects. The resulting works generate a quiet sense of abjection and a tender sense of intimacy.

To make my works I cover wire and foam bases with recycled paper pulp and aluminum. I use acrylic to contrast the dry organic quality of the pulp with synthetic wetness. By transforming my materials beyond recognition, I create seemingly animate objects that appear dredged out of the ocean or discovered in a cave. Tentacles, orifices, and bony outgrowths recall the bodily, while undulating surfaces and otherworldly color palettes suggest the slow formation of rocks and underlying botanical presences. 

Swergold received her MFA in painting at Rhode Island School of Design in 2021. She received her BA (Magna Cum Laude) in Studio Art & Art History and her Post Baccalaureate in Fine Arts at Brandeis University. 

Her solo exhibition at Room 68 Wellfleet is on view through July 17th.

313 Main Street, Wellfleet, MA