Artist Talk: Leonardo Drew

Artist Talk: Leonardo Drew
In conversation with Jordan D. Schnitzer
Recorded on February 21, 2024

Artist Leonardo Drew, in conversation with Jordan D. Schnitzer, discusses his career as an artist and his immense and powerful installation, 215B, currently on view in Strange Weather: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation. Although often mistaken for accumulations of found objects, Drew’s sculptures are instead made of “brand new stuff”—materials such as wood, rusted iron, cotton, paper, and mud—that he intentionally subjects to processes of weathering, burning, oxidation, and decay. Whether jutting out from a wall or traversing rooms as freestanding installations, his pieces challenge the architecture of the space in which they’re shown. Memories of his childhood surroundings—from the housing project where he lived to the adjacent landfill—resurface in the intricate grids and configurations of many of his pieces. Never content with work that comes easily, Drew constantly reaches beyond “what’s comfortable” and charts a course of daily investigation, never knowing what the work will be about but letting it find its way, and asking, “What if….” Drew is also known for his boundary-breaking work in printmaking, which is also featured in Strange Weather.

Leonardo Drew’s visit is sponsored by Jordan D. Schnitzer.